


"In Every Lifetime"

by TIMETOLIVE



Category: Fear the Walking Dead (TV), The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Apocalypse, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, F/F, F/M, Mating Bites, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Character Death, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Swordfighting, Unplanned Pregnancy, Wolf Pack, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:22:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26181094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TIMETOLIVE/pseuds/TIMETOLIVE
Summary: Your six when you have your first soulmate dream. You know she will be in danger. How can you protect her an ocean away?Years of dreaming lead you to America. Will you be able to keep her safe in this lifetime? Or will she die like the previous life you remember.Why can't you have a life where there is no apocalypse? Will there be a happy ending this time?Read to find out.
Relationships: Abby Griffin/Jake Griffin, Alicia Clark/Elyza Lex, Anya/Raven Reyes, Octavia Blake/Lincoln
Comments: 24
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 "Daddy, what's a soulmate?"

Eliza's POV

My dreams just keep getting weirder and weirder. They started a few months ago. Some of them I dream of this woman, I think she is from a tribe. She has warpaint on her face. It looks like black tears flowing down her cheeks.

Then there are people bowing to her, even I bow to her in one dream. She must be a queen. She even sits on a throne. I see lots of death in those dreams as well. People fighting, I kill people as well. I don't know what it means. Her name is Lexa in those dreams.

Then there are other dreams, where she is my age. Her name is Alicia. It's the same person, I know it is. She wears clothes kinda like mine, but a little bit different. I watch her grow up in those dreams, but it's like I don't know her, not yet. It feels like I am trying to find her in those dreams. 

Those dreams are scary. I see people trying to eat everyone else. She is in danger. Everything in me tells me to help her, to save her from those trying to hurt her, especially the monsters. I know what they are. I watched a movie daddy once that had the monsters. They were called zombies. Mom was really mad.

I don't know why. They are so not real. It was just a movie, but still mom was mad. She told daddy that it was too scary for a little girl. The movie wasn't scary, it was kind of funny. It just seemed so fake.

I've always liked drawing. Daddy says I am really good, but I think it's just because he is my daddy. He kind of has to say things like that. I started drawing my dreams. Something tells me that I shouldn't forget any part of them. My old art book is almost full now, just of my dreams. I am happy daddy gave me a few more for my birthday today. 

I turned seven today. Daddy says I am a big girl now and I get big girl art supplies. Now I can even start painting the woman in my dreams. Maybe some of the scary ones will stop coming, but I don't think they will stop.

Daddy comes in the room and sees me drawing. "What are you drawing today, pumpkin?"

"Promise you won't laugh, daddy?" I ask him.

He shakes his head, holds out his pinky, and says, "I would never laugh at you, sweetie, pinky promise." 

Daddy is so silly, but I still wrap my pinky around his, and hand him my book. "Who is the lady? She is in like most of these drawings. Your drawing is getting better everyday." He says.

"I dream about her, daddy, every night. Some of the dreams are scary. They feel so real." I say quietly.

Daddy pulls me into his arms, and gives me a big hug. "What else do you feel in these dreams, sweetie?" He asks.

I look at the floor, and say, "So many things, daddy. I feel like I have to know her. I think she is in danger and I don't like it at all. I want to save her. She needs help, daddy. Then there are the dreams where she is a little girl, like me. She seems so happy, but I just know that the bad things are going to happen and I have to stop them."

Daddy keeps looking through the book and finally he says, "It seems like you are dreaming about your soulmate. Not many do, I didn't with your mommy, but our birthmarks match, so it means we found each other. Most people don't find theirs until they are much older. You have dreamt about yours early, so early. I have never heard of someone dreaming about their soulmate till they are a teenager at least." 

I start playing with his fingers and after a minute I ask him, "Daddy, what is a soulmate?"

Daddy looks around for a minute and then says, " Well, um it's a.. Well, it's like a best friend, but more. It's the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else. It's someone who makes you a better person, well, actually they don't make you a better person... you do that yourself-- because they inspire you. A soulmate is someone who you carry with you forever. It's the one person who knew you, and accepted you, and believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else would. And no matter what happens.. you'll always love them."

"How do you find your soulmate? In my dreams, she doesn't live anywhere near Australia, though I don't know where she is. If I did find her, what if she doesn't know I am her soulmate?" I ask him.

"She might not have dreams like you sweetie, but you will find her. The dreams will help you. And you have a soulmark, everyone does. Your soulmate has the same birthmark as you do." He says.

"You mean the sideways eight on my stomach? She has the same one? How can I find her daddy, the dreams don't tell me anything." I tell him.

"Oh sweetie. Yes, the sideways number eight. It has a special meaning. It means, infinity, forever, neverending. Your love is special. As for the dreams leading you to her, look at this picture, it's a place. You know that place." He says.

I look back down at my book, looking at the sign that she is standing under, thinking for a moment, "That is Hollywood. I know, read about it. That's California. She is in America daddy. Can we go find her now?" I ask him.

His brow wrinkles and he says, "We will, pumpkin, but right not now."

"Why daddy? My soulmate is in America. I have to find her." I tell him.

He shakes his head, and says, "Look at all your drawings, sweetie. In every single one of them there is so much danger. Soul dreams always come true, for the most part. Some things you can change, some you can not. It seems like the dead will walk and you have to be prepared for that. Your soulmate might not have the same dreams as you, she might not even have the dreams until way later in life. You have to be prepared."

"How daddy? How do I prepare?" I ask him.

"I will have to train you to fight and how to survive. Your mommy won't like it at first, but I will talk to her. When your mommy and I feel that you are ready, we will move to America. We will help you find her. I promise." 

"I want to find her now daddy. We can move to America and then you can teach me to fight, daddy. Please." I tell him.

"I know you do, but there is so much to do first. Tell you what, you can start training now, before I talk to your mom. I want you to run down the road all the way to the Reyes house and back ten times. On the tenth time there, you can ask Lindsey to have a sleepover. Remember though, don't disturb her mommy." Daddy says after kissing the top of my head.

Two years later

Last month, Lindsey's mommy died, she was sick for as long as I can remember. Today is my ninth birthday and mommy and daddy gave her a piece of paper. I know what it is. It says that she is my sister now. That is the bestest birthday present ever. I always wanted her to be my sister.

She wants to be called Raven, now. It's what I called her in some of my dreams. I think it's funny. My name is Eliza Lex. My soulmate's name this time is Alicia Clarke. I found out in last night's dream. In the other dreams she is Lexa and I am Clarke. There are way too many Clarke in California. Not sure how we will find her.

"The only present that would be better, is finding my soulmate. Mommy and daddy have been training Raven and I both for two years. We both know first aid, and can fight some. Daddy has been teaching Raven how to fix cars and other things. She really likes that.

Today though, mommy has finally agreed to us learning to practice with swords. They are only wooden swords but one day they will be real ones. Waiting is hard, I want to go to America now, but I know mommy and daddy will just keep saying, not yet.

It is finally time, daddy and Raven come running out of the workshop, with three wooden swords. I'm so excited. Raven hands me one of them and we start immediately trying to use them, "Hold up munchkins, there is a difference between playing and using swords. The art of sword fighting is more like dancing."

"Daddy, dancing is so different than fighting." I tell him.

"No it isn't, when one truly becomes one with the sword, it can be quite magical. The moves one does when waltzing, are so graceful, and it can be the same with a sword." He says.

"Whatever daddy, can you show us?" I ask him.

"Of course. Swords will be very important, when the zombies come, silent fighting will be a must." He says.

It is two weeks later that I dream about Lexa using two swords, "Daddy, can you teach me to use two swords?" I ask him.

"It's called dual wielding. I will have to make you another sword, but before that, you and Raven will learn to fight blindly. When you master that, we will move to two swords." He tells us.

"I want to learn, too." Raven says.

"And so you will. You both have to keep up with your other training as well." He says.

We both learned one thing, fighting blindly sucks. It takes so much time to learn. We actually have to listen to everything and feel even the air around us. I am never going to master this, which means that I will never get my second sword.

Two years later

Finally, Raven and I mastered blind fighting. Now we are working on basic surgery with my mom. I like working better with my dad. I wish I didn't have to spend so much time with medical studies. Raven spends more time learning with dad than I do. 

I really don't want to learn everything that Raven is learning through. It's boring. I do know basic mechanics, but Raven is now learning about building. When we move onto firearm training, she will learn about explosives. "Girls, pay attention." Mom yells at us.

"Mom, it's not like we are going to need any of this surgery stuff. Not most of it. We will be fighting, we won't need it." I tell her.

"I will be making things go boom. I don't need any of this either." Raven says.

Mom sighs, shakes her head and says, "Ok smart assess. Tell me what you would do if say, your soulmate was shot, and surgery was the only way to fix them. What would you do, then? Would you just fight some more, while they lay there dying."

That breaks me as huge sobs start tearing out of me. "Lexa died last night on my dream mom. Someone shot her in the stomach and I couldn't help her." I say.

Mom pulls me into her arms and I just cry and cry. After a while I calm down and mom says, "Let's learn what we can, to make sure that doesn't happen this time."

I will never ever talk bad about medicine again. We work for hours before we call it quits as dad comes out of the workshop with two new wooden swords. One for each of us. I turn to mom and ask, "Tomorrow you are off right?"

"Yes, sweetie. I don't work tomorrow. Why?" She asks.

"Can we spend some more time on surgery? I need lots of practice." I ask her.

"Sure, we can do that. There is much to learn." She says.

"Thank you, mom." I tell her.

We spend a few hours sparring with dad before we head in to eat dinner. That night I fell asleep reading an Oxford handbook to clinical study. It definitely won't be the last time.

Two years later

It's my birthday again, I am thirteen today. Dad comes over with two boxes, as Raven has now decided that we will share a birthday. We know what is in the box, but we are both so excited. Our first real swords.

"Ok, girls your mom and I have a few rules. If you are practicing blind sword fighting, you use your wooden swords. You must be careful, the both of you. These are real and they are sharp." He says.

"We will dad, we promise." We both say at the same time.

"We know you will girls. In the box is a set of knives as well that match. However, that isn't all you are getting." He says.

"We are going to start your firearm training as well. You will be using a variety of different kinds of guns. We have to be careful though with the new gun laws here. We don't talk about anything that you are both learning. It will only cause questions and maybe even stop us from going to America." He says.

"We have to go dad." I cry out.

"I know sweetie and we will. We just have to be careful. Raven will be learning more about explosives and you will be learning more about medicine. Also, even though it's not legal here, in the workshop there are four motorcycles, you each get one. You have to let me teach you and you can only use them here." He says.

"We understand dad. We have to be careful." Raven says.

"We have to step up training. We have to get you both ready and time is running out. We have been looking at places in Texas." He says.

"Why Texas, dad. That is so far from California. I have studied the maps." I ask him.

"Motorcycle laws are the youngest there. At fifteen you can get your license and guns aren't as frowned upon there. We have to have time to build a safe place before everything happens." He says.

"California is like 1500 miles from Texas. How will I ever find her?" I ask, shaking my head.

"When you are sixteen, you will look for her, with uncle Gustus, while we stay here building what we need to build." He says.

"What if I don't find her, till it is too late?" I ask, as it is my biggest fear.

"That isn't going to happen. Your dreams tell you that you are both fighting the zombies together." He says.

He is right, I do see that in my dreams. "Okay dad, but I don't like it. I will still be so far away. Let's train." I say.

We spent hours training, that is until mom comes home and sees us. She takes one look and says, "Come on let's clean you up and check your wounds."

None of them are serious, but mom is. "We know what is coming, your dreams tell us, but even the smallest paper cut can fester and kill you. Always keep even the smallest of wounds clean." She tells us, while stitching the only one that needs it, on my shoulder.

"We were being careful, mom. These things will happen. I know to keep wounds clean, both of us do. We would have taken care of them. None of them were bad, we just wanted to finish training first." I tell her.

"Eliza is right honey. When she is fighting zombies, she can't stop, just to take care of a scratch. She is smart enough to take care of her wounds, soon as she can, both of our girls are." Dad says.

We go in the house and after eating I head to my room. It has been a long day. I am about to turn the light off, when Raven comes in. She picks up my current art journal and opens it to last night's page, and points to a girl standing with Alicia. "Who is that?" She asks.

I look at the page again and say, "I think her name is Anya. She's a few years older than Alicia. I think they are sisters. She has been in many of my dreams, always with Alicia. Why?"

"I dreamt of her last night on her shoulder is her mark. It's a cross, with a wrench and a sword." Raven says.

"What? Omg! Really? No freaking way. That's your mark. Anya is your soulmate? I can't believe it." I cry out.

"I can't believe it myself." Raven says.

"You know what this means, right?" I ask her.

She shakes her head and says, "No, what does it mean?"

"It means that if one of us finds our soulmate, then the other will as well. It will make things much easier." I tell her.

We both fall asleep in my bed, huge smiles on our faces.

2 years later 

We are finally here. Mom and dad bought this huge place in West Texas. It's almost five thousand acres. Dad and Raven are building a fifteen foot wall for it, but only for ¾ of it. The other fourth is surrounded by a river. Dad and Raven have so many plans for the property. 

I really want to go find Alicia. I've been having dreams about her that I do not like. She is with someone else. It doesn't seem like it is now, she is a few years older, but I don't want to be too late. Dad won't let me go look for her yet. It's pissing me off. He says I need more training. Fuck that. I just want to find her.

This is totally not fair. Dad even took the keys to my bike. I can hotwire it, but will never hear the end of it. He says he needs help with the wall and I need more training. Guess I am building a fucking wall. Fuck that idiot that said everything will be better with a wall. It gave dad too many ideas.

This is going to take too long. I find Raven. "Raven, can we talk?" I ask her.

"Sure, what's up?" She asks.

"How long do you think that this wall will take to build?" I ask her.

"It will take a few years, but we have time. Your last dream showed Alicia graduating. So plenty of time." She says.

I put my head in my hands, rubbing my eyes, "That's not all it showed." I mumble

"What did it show you?" She asks.

"It showed her kissing someone at her graduation. She called her Costia. What if I find her too late?" I tell her.

"Well my last dream had Anya punching someone in the face. I think her name was Costia. She told her to stay away from her sister. Things will happen. We can't change them, but I have to believe that we won't be too late. Let's build this wall, so that we can go find them." She says.

I guess I have to keep worrying about it. A few years, dammit. If I have to help build this stupid as freaking Trump wall, it's going to put his wall to shame. Ours has to hold off hordes of zombies. It truly is life or death.

I go to bed that night, muscles aching, tears streaming down my face at all the wasted time I will have to face.

Three years later

Three years gone, just like that. At least, when the shit hits the fan, I will have a safe place to bring Alicia and her family. We wanted to split up, but dad vetoed that idea. Gustus was coming with us. We are going to start in northern California and make our way south. 

Dad and Gustus want to talk to us before we leave. Raven and I are waiting by the bikes, when they come out. "We wanted to talk about our time in the SAS." Dad says.

Okay, this is a serious talk. Neither of them talk about those days. I was two when they resigned. "We are listening, dad." I tell him.

"For the most part, our time there was pretty routine. We were a rescue team. We worked a lot undercover. We would go in to find the bad guys kill them, saving the people that they were holding. It was the last mission that went all to hell." Dad says.

He is practically shaking just saying that little bit. Puts a hand on his shoulder and continues, "I will make this as short as I can. We had almost finished killing the last of our enemies, when the last guy opened fire, killing the rest of our unit. You see we all froze. We weren't scared of dying, we were scared for the six year old little girl strapped to his chest, with a bomb strapped to her. There isn't much more that I remember, except waking up in the hospital. Somehow, your dad was able to save not only me, but the little girl. That mission though changed us both. We couldn't do it anymore." 

Gustus takes a deep breath and says, "When you started having your dreams, we knew that we had to train you. It is hard training anyone, a child though, especially one that you love more than life itself, that was damn near impossible."

Dad shakes his head and says, "What we are trying to say here, is that things are going to get bad. When they do, you will have to worry about others. Trust your instincts, both of you are smart. There will be people out there that will try to betray you, be careful who you trust. The last enemy standing was from our unit. We know it will still be a while before anything happens, but just be ready."

"We will dad. Don't trust anyone until they can be proven that they can be trusted." I tell him.

"Now we have to discuss one other thing before you leave." Dad says.

"We are all ears daddy Jake." Raven says.

"I am staying here, finishing up things that will be needed. Gustus is going to go with you. However, there could be a time where you are separated." Dad says.

"I won't come back without Alicia dad, especially with the world in chaos." I tell him.

I am eighteen now, he can't force me to stay or go come back. "I would expect nothing else from either of you. What I was going to say is, keep in contact, and use code when it comes down to it. Just finish your mission and come home. If you do split up, you are on your own, Gustus will head back here if he is able to." Dad says.

"We understand dad and we will try and not be split up." I tell him.

We all hug our goodbyes, having said goodbye to mom earlier this morning. Dad turns to Gustus and says, "Take care of our girls." 

"You know I will do all that I can." Gustus says.

Dad nods and we hop on our bikes and head away from home. It will be many miles, many towns before I see her mentioned in a tag with someone named Octavia. First freshmen to make the starting soccer team for Polis University. 

I knew Octavia from my dreams. They have been friends for years. We stop to get lunch and I search my phone for maps of the university. After eating we head over to Polis, and I make my way over to the soccer fields.

I have no idea how this first meeting is going to go. For now I will take just seeing her in person for the first time. About halfway to the fields, I have to stop at the burning sensation in my chest, right where my mark is. Rubbing it gently, I look up and see her. She is more beautiful than in my dreams.

She is rubbing her chest as well, which is probably why she didn't notice someone coming up behind her, wrapping their arms around her, Costia. I stop dead in my tracks, pain radiating in my chest. Something isn't right here. 

I am about to turn around when I see her struggling. Just as I am about to rush in, she pushes her back. I watch from a distance, almost feeling bad about listening in. "What do you want, Cos?" Alicia says.

"I just want to talk, babe." Costia says.

"You mean try to get me to see things your way. I thought I made myself clear. Guess I didn't and neither did Anya as I can see." Alicia says.

"I love you, Alicia. I just wanted us to be closer. I still want that. Let me fix this. I can fix it. We are good together." Costia says.

"Six months, Costia. I had to deal with you for six months. Always trying to make me do things I wasn't ready for. You never listened to me. It was all about you. That isn't love, that's manipulation. Please leave." Alicia says.

My field of vision is blocked by someone and I look at them and they say, "Who are you?"

"Who I am doesn't matter right now, Octavia." I say.

"I've been watching you for the last few minutes. What do you want with my friend?" She asks.

"For now, nothing but to make sure she is safe. That's all I ever really want." I tell her while trying to side step her. 

"Why do you care? Who are you? I won't ask again." She says.

I could easily knock her down, but hurting Alicia's friend won't make the best of first impressions. The pain in my chest starts getting a bit worse, "Please, just let me make sure she is safe." I tell her.

She looks down at my hand rubbing my chest and says, "Oh shit. You're her soulmate and here she doesn't believe in them."

"Don't tell her yet, please. Just let me make sure she is safe." I say.

"I won't say anything, for now that is." Octavia says.

She turns and I can see her whole body tense as she freezes. Stepping around her I see them. Costia has Alicia pressed against a wall trying to kiss her, with Alicia struggling to get away. "Just leave me alone, Cos."

I see red, my blood boiling, as I rush to them, gripping Costia's shoulder. I spin her around, punching her in the face, "She said, leave her alone." I yelled at Costia as she crumpled to the ground.

I gently touch her cheek, looking into her eyes, I ask, "Are you ok?"

"I am fine. Who are you?" She asks.

The pain in my chest starts to lessen, but doesn't stop my heart from beating erratically. "My name is Eliza, Eliza Lex." I tell her.

Before anything else can be said, campus security shows up. "What happened here?" The officer asks.

"The girl on the ground had her pushed against the wall. After I heard her tell the girls, several times I might add, to leave her alone, I hit her. If I had just left, who knows what would have happened." I tell him.

"Is that what happened, Alicia?" He asks her.

"Yes, she is my ex, Costia Green. She didn't want to break-up." Alicia says.

"Are you wanting to press charges?" He asks Alicia.

"I don't want to, but it has to stop. This isn't the first time. So, yes, I am pressing charges." She tells him.

"I will need both of you to come to the office and make a statement. It can wait till tomorrow though." He says.

Alicia looks at me, "I will be there sir. What time?" I ask.

"In the morning, before ten is good." He says.

"I will be there." I tell him.

"So will I." Alicia says.

The officer takes Costia away and Octavia comes over and says, "I could use a coffee right now. How about you guys?"

"Sure, if Alicia doesn't mind." I say.

"I could drink some coffee. It's the least I can do. Since you did knock Costia out." She says with a smile.

"Oh that, it was nothing." I say while following both girls.


	2. Chapter 2 "I don't believe in soulmates"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So there is some getting to know you talk. Someone gets sick, and we meet some new people.

Chapter 2 "I don't believe in soulmates"

Alicia's POV

We start our walk to the coffee shop, it really is the best one near campus. They even carry my brand of mint tea, so that is a plus. The barista's are hot too, but not nearly as hot as Eliza. Her long blonde hair, with the tips colored hot pink and omg I would be lying if I didn't glance at her chest a few times.

However what really gets me is that shade of deep blue of her eyes. It's like looking into the deepest part of the ocean, all wrapped up in leather. Are those motorcycle boots, damn. Get with it Alicia. It's just coffee, Eliza will probably get on her bike and ride into the sunset, leaving you with just a nice story, of a hot stranger that saved you from your ex.

Octavia opens the door to the shop and a breeze flows by, oh shit, is that coconut and honey I smell. She even smells intoxicating. Stop it Alicia. You're never seeing this girl again. Your life just doesn't work that way. Fuck, that hurts. 

You started having chest pains when you started dating Costia. You don't know why, but after your mom took you to the doctor, it's still a mystery. Sometimes it hurts more than other times. This just happens to be one of those times. You notice Eliza rubbing her chest as well. What's up with that.

What is she doing? I know this isn't going to be good. She knows that I don't drink anything but my tea and water. "Just order Octavia." I tell her, already heading to the table.

I look up when I hear her tell Eliza to get what she thinks that we want. Dammit, I know I am going to have to throw whatever it is away or be polite and drink something that I can't stand.

When Octavia comes to the table, I give her my best glare and give her the silent treatment. It isn't but a few moments before Eliza returns with our drinks. "Caramel frappe extra shot of espresso, and mint tea with one sugar and a glass of water." Eliza says with a smile on her face.

What the actual fuck, "Did Octavia tell you what to order?" I ask her.

Eliza shakes her head and says, "No, I just know some things."

Octavia takes a drink and turns to Eliza, "Perfect, so talk to us. Where are you from? Your accent tells us you're not from around here." Octavia asks.

"That's for sure, I'm from a little village called Hope Springs. It's in Australia." She says.

"What brings you to California? Did you come to go to school here?" I ask her.

Eliza frowns, shaking her head, and says, "No, I didn't come to go to school. I was actually homeschooled my whole life. The knowledge my head contains would take decades to learn in college, but it will all be needed."

So that isn't cryptic. "What do you mean it will be needed? What will be needed?" I ask her.

"If there was a test on the things I know, I would be a surgeon, a mechanic and so many other things. I don't want to scare either of you, but it will be needed because the world as we know it will not be the same one as we are in right now, and it will happen soon." Eliza says.

Yeah, she's hot and all, but she's also bat shit crazy. "When did you have your first soulmate dream?" Octavia asks, knowing I don't believe in that crap.

"I was a few weeks shy of my seventh birthday. It was scary, to say the least. I lost her in one lifetime, I won't lose her again." Eliza says and I see the pain in her eyes.

What? I know many people believe in all this, I can see that she does. I know Octavia does as well. I just never could. I think I am the only one that I know, besides Costia, who has never had a dream. 

Octavia gets a dreamy look in her eyes and asks, "Have you met her yet?" 

"Yeah, it took many years, get here, but I have finally met her." Eliza says looking at Octavia.

I don't know what is happening, but a very low growl escapes my throat. Eliza turns to me and asks, "Are you ok?"

I take a drink of water and say, "I am fine, just a little tickle in my throat."

"What does your soulmark look like?" Octavia asks in a rush as I glare at her.

Eliza turns to me, looking directly in my eyes and I can almost feel my heart trying to jump out of my chest. I almost don't hear her as her next words come out of her mouth, "It is a sideways broken infinity symbol, on my chest, right over my heart."

No no no, this isn't happening I think, as the pain in my chest strengthens, the air around me getting thicker, as my eyes roll back into my head, spots floating behind my eyes as I lose consciousness.

Eliza's POV

What did I do? I manage to barely stop Alicia's head from banging against the table as she passes out. Still holding onto her head, I slide out of my side of the booth and into hers. I am now able to support her body fully until she wakes up. 

I turn to Octavia and ask, "Is she sick? She is burning up. Does this happen often? I've never seen her sick, or at least not often, in my dreams." 

"I've known her since elementary school, she has only been sick once or twice and never for long. She has never fainted before, but I think that has more to do with realizing that something she thought wasn't real actually is. She sometimes has sharp pains in her chest, but I think that has to do more with her mark than anything." Octavia says.

"Well she is sick now. We should get her out of here." I say, my heart in my throat. 

Octavia comes over to our side of the table and puts her palm on Alicia's head. "Maybe we should take her to the hospital, instead?" She asks.

I think about it for a moment before saying, and decide to take a chance. "Your dreams, do you know what is coming? The sickness, the death, the battles that we will have to face?" I ask her in a low voice.

"Are you saying that it is really coming? I thought that those were dreams of another life. I haven't had too many of those dreams, but yes I know some of what is coming." She says.

"Then you know that a hospital can't help her, not if she has the virus, but I can. I have known since I was six, though I didn't know that she would get sick. I can still help her though, I have everything that I need back at my hotel. That is where I am taking her. You can come if you want or you can stay here." I tell her, gathering Alicia in my arms and walking to the door.

I notice Octavia following me, just like I thought that she would. "We should call Anya. She will kill me if I don't."

"We will, just as soon as we get there. The hotel is only a couple of blocks away." I tell her.

I stop at my bike, knowing that I am leaving it here. "Why are we stopping?" She asks.

"I need my bag. I can come back for my bike or send my sister to get it. Can you grab it for me? " I ask her.

"Fine, but she better be ok, and if she wants to leave later, then she is." Octavia mumbles.

It doesn't take long to make it back to the hotel. Ryder and Raven are both not here. I turn to Octavia and say, "Can you reach into my back pocket, the card key is there." 

Octavia gets the key and opens the door. I lay Alicia on my bed and move to the bathroom. After getting a washcloth wet, move back to her side, gently running the cloth on her neck and face. "In my bag is medicine, I need the Hydroxychloroquine and the acetaminophen." I tell Octavia.

"Why the hell do you carry prescription medicine with you? Do you even know how the fuck these medinces work? Just who are you?" Octavia says, holding both in her hand.

"Just trust me Octavia. While most people you know studied reading and writing I grew up studying medicine and many other things. Things that we will need and things that we need right this moment. My mom is a surgeon, she taught me medicine. I know everything she does in that field. Please, just give me the meds. Alicia needs them." I say.

I don't know what convinces her, but she hands them over and I administer them. "If her fever gets any worse, we will need to take other measures, but no hospital. They will be too dangerous in the coming days." I say.

"How do you know when it is going to start?" She asks me. 

Truth is I don't know for sure, but I know it will be soon, "I don't know exactly when it will start, I just know that it will be soon, based on my dream last night and what you said earlier." I said.

"In my dream last night, Alicia wasn't sick, not that I know of, but she was on this bed. You also asked me who I was and I told you to trust me. Also, my mom was really big on recording dates of when she administered any medication, even over the counter medicine. It kind of stuck with me." I say shaking my head.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She asks.

"It has to deal with dates. In my dream, I was writing down having to use the Hydroxychloroquine again, for my sister and someone else, though I couldn't see who. The date was a week and a half from now and we were on the road by then." I say.

"So people are going to start getting sick that soon. Do you really think that those that die from this will come back?" She asks.

"I do. My dreams have never been wrong. My dad said that soul dreams never are wrong. I've lived with them my whole life. Dreams from this lifetime and one other. Both were what people consider the end of the world. I knew from my first dream, that Alicia needed to be protected. So did my dad, hence all my training." I tell her.

Most of this I never thought that I would tell anyone, anyone but Alicia. There is something about Octavia that makes me trust her. "Where is your family now?" She asks.

"They are in Texas. It's a safe place. Your soulmate, Lincoln is there. He has had some training, everyone there has, but his main skills are in farming. He never said much about his dreams, only said that you were beautiful and the strongest person that he knew. He was mostly talking about his last life. He told me that he was a warrior, which is why he had the swords as his mark. He said that his soulmate was a warrior as well. You fought side by side." I say.

"How do you know that my soulmate is named Lincoln's and about his past life?" She asks.

"I have dreamed some about him, but also he has talked a little bit about you. It was after I saw his mark. You have the same two swords, side by side on your right shoulder blade." I tell her.

She closes her eyes for a moment, and when she opens them there are tears in them. "We did. We fought for peace between both of our people, but it only ended with a bullet in his brain. His leader died as well. I can't picture her in my dreams or many others, but I remember someone named Clarke talking about her death. She seemed like a friend, but I never saw her face." She says.

I knew all this, of course I did, but that is only because of how long I have been having the dreams. It still hurts to hear it. "You can't see their faces in your dreams yet, because you haven't been having them long." I tell her.

"Do you see us in your dreams of that life?" She asks.

"Too often, I have since I was almost eleven. I remember them all too vividly. I know why Lincoln doesn't talk about them too often. I wasn't there when he died then, but I saw it later. I was watching the light fade from the one I loved. This time I won't let her die. It will be me if it is anyone." I say while gently running the rag over Alicia's face.

"Your saying that you are Clarke and Alicia is Heda?" She asks.

With tears in my eyes, I say, "I am, but can we talk about something else for a while." 

"Sure, but we will talk about it again, hopefully with the others." She says.

"Tell me why Alicia doesn't believe in soulmates?" I ask.

Octavia shakes her head, "She believes in them for some people, but not everyone. She doesn't believe that she has one. She hasn't ever had a soul dream. The only reason that she ever dated Costia was that she didn't have a mark or dreams. Costia wanted more than Alicia was ready to give, from day one. She tried everything. Alicia always told her she wasn't ready." She says.

I am feeling more hatred for Costia by the moment. "And still Costia keeps trying. I still don't get it. Maybe it's because to me there was only ever one person. My parents were very supportive about it all. I don't get many dreams about Alicia's parents, so I wouldn't even begin to know anything about them." I say.

"I guess you would have to start at Alicia's mom. I won't go into her story, because it is not mine to tell. I will say that she didn't like the idea of soulmates either, because something happened. So when Alicia didn't have any dreams when everyone else started to, she was happy. She liked Costia though. Costia comes from money and Madison always liked that. She always pushed them together. She actually stopped talking to Alicia when they broke up." Octavia says.

"So Alicia's mom probably won't like me much, I guess." I ask her.

"Badass biker chick, um not so much. Anya on the other hand will love you, as long as you don't hurt Alicia. Hurt her and you might not live to see another day. I should actually send Anya a message for her to come here." Octavia says.

"I have something to ask first. It's about Anya." I tell her.

"What about Anya?" She asks.

"Alicia hasn't had any dreams, but do you know if Anya has?" I ask her.

"Oh yeah, she had her first one at fourteen. Oh fuck, she blamed Clarke for her death in her other life time. She didn't even get to even meet her soulmate then. She just saw her in the distance. Most of her dreams are from this lifetime. She wouldn't talk about them at all, just to say that she needed to learn to fight. She is a kickboxer and she fences. The first meeting between you two might not go well." She says.

After I pull up a picture of Raven in a sports bra, covered in grease from converting one of our trucks to run on solar power, I hand Octavia my phone. She looks at it for a moment and asks, "That's Anya's soulmate. Who is she?" 

"That's my sister, Raven. She will recognize Anya right away. She will probably be back here soon, her and my uncle Ryder." I tell her.

"Oh snap! This will be interesting for sure. It's amazing how entwined our lives are. Wow! So what is it you want to do?" She asks.

"We should get this over with. I will text Raven and you text Anya. I will have Raven bring pizza for all of us." I tell her

"Do you have a plan to stop Anya from killing you?" She asks.

"Well I am going to put on a tank top, so that she can see my mark and if all else fails, having Raven here can't hurt. I could probably take her, but I really don't want that to be our first meeting." I tell her.

I take a deep breath and text Raven to get here with Pizza for five, knowing that Alicia won't be able to eat as sick as she is. She is mumbling in her sleep. I go to the bathroom and wet the cloth again. Before I have a chance to use it there is a loud banging at the door, "Where is my sister?"

Octavia looks at me and opens the door. I stand up to face Anya. "Hello, Anya. We should talk." I say.

"Talk, funny. I won't let you be the cause of my death or my sisters this time." She growls. 

I see the punch coming, but I just stand there, no moving a muscle. Raven comes in at that time, pizza boxes in her hands. I feel the sting at the corner of my lip, as I taste the blood. "One hit, that's all you get. Now we talk." I tell her.

"What the hell is going on here?" Raven calls out.

Anya turns around at this time and sees Raven. "This blonde bitch led me to my death, all the while spouting about a peaceful alliance." Anya spews out.

"That isn't exactly how it happened. I had no idea that you would be shot. I never wanted it either. Besides, we have to deal with what is coming in this lifetime, not the last one." I tell her.

"What happened in the other lifetime to my sister, after I died." Anya asks.

"Titus shot her and I couldn't save her. I won't let that happen, not this time." I tell her.

I hear a loud gasp behind me, "What are you talking about?" Alicia says.

I turn around and she is standing, well more like wobbling on her feet. She looks down at my chest, right at my mark and sways even more, "I don't believe in soulmates." She says as her feet collapse underneath her.

I barely manage to catch her, before she hits the floor. I move her to the bed. Damn, her fever is much much worse, almost burning my skin, sweat dripping off of her. "I need ice and lots of it." I yell out.

I rush to the bathroom, turning on the cold water and putting the plug in it. Normally I wouldn't use an ice bath. If not done properly they can be just as dangerous as the fever itself, but as high as her fever is, we need to bring it down fast.

Heading back to the bedroom, I start taking her clothes off, beginning with her shirt. "I'm sorry for this, but it has to be done." I say before carrying her into the bathroom and laying her in the tub.

"What the hell is going on? What are you doing to Alicia?" Anya yells.

"I'm trying to save her life. I need that ice, now." I yell back at her.

Octavia and Ryder come in with several buckets of ice each, "I need at least one more trip." I tell them as they are already leaving. 

As soon as the ice hits the water, Alicia wakes up gasping. "I am sorry, Alicia. I know it doesn't feel good, but we have to bring your temp down. Twenty minutes and then we will get you warm and dry." I tell her.

She just nods her head and shivers. She is barely conscious. As

"What is wrong with her?" Raven asks.

"I think she has the virus that we have been dreaming about." I tell her.

"You mean she is dying. Why didn't you take her to the hospital?" Anya asks. 

"She is sick, yes, but she isn't dying, she is alive in my dreams, weeks from now, and she isn't sick in those. As for the hospital, you have been having dreams. You know what is coming. The hospital is not an option. It will be overrun soon, most of them will die and come back. She would be in danger there. Hospitals are not an option." I tell her.

"What makes you think that you can save her. She needs medical attention and doctors that have skills that someone your age does not have." She says.

I am about to speak again but Raven beats me to it. "My sister is smarter and more skilled than most doctors. The only one better than her is our mother." She says.

"How is that even possible?" Anya asks.

Octavia and Ryder come in with more ice and ask, "Is that enough, or do we need more?"

"That should be plenty for now, but could you put the same medicine on the nightstand that I gave her earlier. She will need more." I ask her.

Octavia nods and heads in the other room. I turn to Ryder and say, "Can you gather everything I will need for an iv?" 

"I will see that it is ready. Stay strong, Eliza. It will be fine." He says. 

I turn to Anya and ask, "How many years have you had to prepare for what is coming?" 

"I started having dreams at fourteen, but it wasn't till I was almost sixteen that I understood everything that was coming. So I have been training for four years." She says.

"Right, I had my first dream a few weeks before I turned seven. I didn't fully understand myself, but my parents did. I am just lucky that they had the skills that I needed to learn and I learned it all. I spent eleven years training in everything that will be needed and spent the last year searching for her. I am not going to lose her this time." I tell her.

"We will talk about this more later." Anya says.

"Yeah sure, whatever. Can you have Raven bring some of her clothes, maybe some sweats. They would fit Alicia better than anything I have. It's about time to get her out, I think her fever is breaking." I ask Anya.

When I have Alicia almost dried off, Anya is back with the clothes and we both get her dressed fast. She has already fallen back to sleep long ago. I carry her back to the bed and Anya pulls the covers back as I lay her down.

Raven has everything I need and together we set her up with an IV. By the time Ryder comes back with more pizza, Octavia has cleaned up what was destroyed when Raven dropped the boxes. 

As they sit down to eat, I sit in a chair next to Alicia, just hoping she makes it through this. "You need to fight this, there is so much we have to talk about. I can not go through another life without you, not again. Don't you give up." I tell Alicia as I take her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been wanting to write a crossover for awhile now. I also wanted to throw soulmates and Omegaverse in as well, so this is a long time coming.
> 
> Omegaverse is something new for me to write, as I have never tackled it before and its a bit out of my comfort zone. Yet, I still wanted to do it.
> 
> I hope you enjoy and as always, thank you Lockie for your help, ai lukot. I couldn't do it with out you.


	3. Chapter 3 "The shift"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans are made. Our group learns about changes that are happening to them. Octavia and Eliza talk.

Chapter 3 "The shift"

Eliza's POV

Anya is sitting on the other bed with Octavia and Raven, while I am sitting in a chair by the bed, holding onto Alicia's hand. Ryder is in a chair on the other side of the room. I wait for the others to speak, it doesn't take long before Anya is the first to do so. "So, Eliza, Raven says you have been having the dreams since you were seven, tell us what happens next."

"Fuck, I thought we would have more time. Alicia won't be the only one that gets sick. We need different transportation. " I tell them.

Octavia looks at me and asks, "What kind of transportation?"

"A truck would be ideal, but in my dreams there is a black van that you are driving." I tell her.

"My brother has a black van, it's about thirty minutes away. Oh gawd, if this is starting now, I have to call him. He won't know where to find me. He's in Mexico with his soulmate. Though it seems that we will be using his van. He won't like us leaving. He will go ballistic." Octavia says.

"Even with your dreams, you don't know everything. Alicia will be pissed if you just try to load her into a van and head to Texas. We have people we wouldn't ever just leave." Anya growls like a wild animal.

I grab the front of her shirt, where my growl comes from, I have no idea, but it has her on her knees before we know it, her head tilted to the side, "I have no intentions of ever leaving your family behind, especially Aden. I know that is who you are mainly worried about. I couldn't hurt her like that, not unless there was no other choice." I tell her as I let go of her shirt.

I take a step back and look around the room, what the fuck, everyone is on their knees, head tilted to the side, like they are offering themselves to me. I take a deep breath, and finally it is Gustus that stands first, making his way over to me.

He shakes his head before he looks into my eyes, hands on my cheeks, almost like he can see something there. He sits back down, then says, "No more, plans, at least for a moment. There is another issue we have to discuss first."

I have no idea what is going on, but I trust anything he has to stay, he is like an uncle to me. "What are you thinking, Gustus?" I ask him.

"You girls know how I just escape into the woods at times. There is a reason for that, one that not many people know. Your parents know, of course, but only because I have needed her skills as a doctor. We choose to not tell you, because there were many things that were more important at the time. Something has changed though and I have to tell you now, as there can be consequences if you learn on your own." He says.

"What are you talking about?" I ask him. 

"In your dreams, have you been running or fighting with a wolf?" He asks.

I see nods around the room as I answer him, "I have, usually a dark colored wolf. I can't understand them, it's like I have to protect the wolf and the wolf would never harm me. Those dreams are new. What do they mean?"

"Abby explained it, it seems like some people have an extra gene in their DNA strand. This gene belongs to the wolf family. It is very rare, in all of Australia it is only seen in one tribe or group of people, mine, the Trikru. I do not need a test to know that every one of you are changing. I see it in your eyes and this brings up so many problems, while on the road." He says.

"So you are saying that we are changing into wolves?" I ask him.

"Not exactly, but like a hybrid. You are half human half wolf. At times you will need to be in your wolf form, but mostly you stay in your human form. Most learn at an early age what all this means. They learn to shift not long after they learn to walk. They can shift at any time, and especially when they sense danger." Gustus says.

"What else can we expect?" Octavia asks.

"Heightened strength, agility, smell, taste are just among the things that you can expect. That is not something that I am worried about, though. There are three types of wolves. For now I will go only into the two of those. My smell tells me that Alicia, Raven and Octavia are all Omegas. Anya is an Alpha as is Eliza. However, Eliza is the stronger of the two, she made all of us submit to her. There is a name for that." He says.

"So we will be shifting soon? And what name do you call someone like Eliza?" Raven asks.

"Anya and Eliza are the closest to shifting. I would say no longer than a couple of days. We should be gone by then. We call the strong alphas pack leaders, but looking in Eliza's eyes, she is even more. She is a Prime, the strongest of all, only one per generation is usually born. Alicia, being Eliza's soulmate and an omega, even without seeing into her eyes after making someone submit, will be an omega prime. They always lead together. There is more to discuss though." He says.

Anya stands up and walks over to Alicia, just looking at her for a moment before asking, "I am not sure I believe in any of this crap, but what else could there be?"

"This has to do with mating. It is really dangerous for an unmated pair, especially for the omega. They will want to be with any unmated alpha. The urge to breed will be almost unstoppable without suppressants. The urge to claim during a first rut or heat is almost overwhelming. Octavia will have to be protected the most for her soulmate isn't with us. It's a simple matter of a trip to the store to get everything needed to help with the heats and ruts. However, there is another issue this brings up." He says while pinching his nose.

Standing up I start pacing, "I have no intention of ever being with Alicia or letting anyone else be either, until she is ready. What other issues could there be?" I ask.

"The world uses the word soulmates, but we call them true mates. Our species can mate and have sex with anyone, but when they meet their true mate all of that goes away. It doesn't matter who you have been with before. It is so strong a pull, so strong a force that you have to be careful. A kiss is all it takes with your true mate. A first kiss will send you straight into heat and rut. There is no stopping a mating at this time and it always results in a pregnancy, usually multiples." He says.

My knees drop out from under me, as I slide down to the floor against the wall, "I am not sure I am ready for that, but I know Alicia isn't either. Also, being pregnant with our trip would definitely not be an ideal situation. We have enough to deal with." I tell them.

"So you are saying you would leave Alicia to fend for herself if that happened. You wouldn't have the chance. Mom would probably kill you first, if I didn't." Anya growls at me.

I think I am understanding Anya better, even after not knowing her in person for only a few hours. "Anya, even before I knew that you were Raven's soulmate, you were family, and so is Aden and Octavia. You will always be family and I will always take care of my family. It wouldn't matter to me if you did something stupid and put yourself in danger, I would still be there. One thing you will learn about me is that Alicia is number one in my life, family is number two, friends are number three, anyone else is low on my priority list." I tell her, hoping to get through to her.

"Good, that's all I needed to know. I couldn't follow anyone that didn't have the right priorities. I can follow you now, knowing that you will always take care of Alicia and our family, even if for some reason I can't be there. Mom is still not going to like you, and mom can be ruthless, especially when it comes to Alicia's love life." Anya says, while standing and grasping my forearm.

"Are you saying she only cares about Alicia's? Not Adens? Not yours?" I ask her.

"She knows better than to push me to be with someone I don't want to be with. She knows she can't change anything about my life. Aden is too young, but I bet as soon as he has his first dream, she will be on him like a vulture and a freshly killed carcass, even though he isn't really hers. Alicia is different, especially since she has never had a dream." Anya says.

Anya starts clenching her fists and jaw before continuing, "Alicia started on early, pushing towards Costia like nothing I have ever seen. At first I didn't see what she was doing, and Costia was a family friend and seemed ok. And truth, in my dreams I saw you with Alicia, and I didn't trust you. I may have been wrong about you and I am sorry for that. Mom has always wanted a life full of luxuries that we weren't born into. The Green's have all that. Right now she isn't talking to Alicia, because she broke things off with the wicked bitch of the west coast."

"You call Costia a bitch, but you used to be her friend, what happened?" I ask Anya.

"I didn't mind a relationship between the two, but Alicia started acting strange after Costia and her started dating. I noticed when they would kiss, Alicia would start having chest pains and still Costia didn't care. She kept trying to force things and mom's influence didn't help Alicia one bit either. I knew the chest pains meant something more, so I started researching it. All my research led to one conclusion." Anya says.

I really didn't want to hear about Costia and Alicia being together, but I couldn't stop myself. "What was your conclusion?" I ask her.

"In all the case studies, it has a lot to do with the location of the soulmark. A soulmark over the heart, means that it is the strongest of connection. In most cases, one of the pair doesn't dream of their life with their mate until meeting them. However, if forced to break that bond by being with another can result in death of the soul. Many times, the person will never recover from it, and neither will their soulmate. I couldn't get Alicia to believe all of that, but I finally convinced her that forcing a relationship only brings pain for all involved. Costia is just as stubborn as mom though and never liked being told 'No'." Anya says.

I stand up, reaching over to move a strand of hair from Alicia's face, feeling that her fever hasn't risen while we have been taking. I turn towards Anya and say, "Thank you, Anya. You are a good sister."

"Ok, now that we know what is happening to us all, what happens next?" Octavia asks.

"First, I need to know where your family is, that way we can pick them up. I have Octavia to thank for that post she tagged Alicia in. That's how we knew to come here. Training many years and searching took a bit over a year, to find her." I tell them.

"We grew up in Fresno. That is where the family is. So are we leaving soon." Octavia asks.

Octavia was never a patient one in my dreams. "I need to stay with Alicia, but we should also leave by tomorrow. I would say late afternoon. That should give us time to make it in time for them to process everything and for us to rest the night." I tell them.

"Madison isn't going to want to leave, not just like that and she will try and control everything. Travis will follow whatever Madison wants." Octavia says.

"Mom will want to wait for Costia and her family to join us. She will still be pushing that point and will try and disregard everything about you." Anya says.

"I can handle her resistance, it won't stop the inevitable. Ok, tonight Ryder will take Octavia to pick up Bellamy's van. Then we will sleep. Tomorrow morning, Raven will go to the apartment with Anya. You will pack anything that is needed. Ryder, you will get what will be needed to make the suppressants. Octavia, you will stay here with me, just in case I need help with Alicia." I tell them.

"We have one problem." Octavia says.

"What are you thinking, Octavia?" I ask her.

"When we leave, I assume you three have your bikes, I will be driving the van. Alicia needs someone with her, I doubt she will be fine by tomorrow afternoon. So you will probably want to ride with her. So that being said, who rides your bike. I don't think you want to leave it behind." Octavia says.

"No, I wouldn't leave it behind, not unless I didn't have to. Anya will ride it. It's not much different than the dirt bikes y'all drove when you were younger. Raven has actually made some improvements on them. They are much easier to ride and are silent." I say.

"Ok, seems like you have everything thought out. We will need weapons. Alicia and Octavia have never used any of them. I suppose you have them." Anya asks.

"We have them, we have some with us, Gustus will have already got mine that were with my bike, that we left at the school. He would have put them in his room, next door. I still have some on me. I have learned to never go anywhere without them, they are just hidden. Other weapons are stashed all around the state and in places along the way. Octavia and Alicia will learn, in my dreams they learn fast." I tell them.

"Good, though mom has probably never touched any weapon before, neither has Travis and they don't believe in violence, so this is going to be fun." Anya says.

"It's a good thing you are adults. We will deal with that as it comes. She really won't have any other choice. As for where everyone is sleeping tonight, this is mine and Raven's room. Anya you are more than welcome to share with Raven, if you are both ok with it. Octavia, you can sleep in Gustus's room, there are two beds. If you are uncomfortable with that, then you can bring pillows and blankets in here. However, I think for the most part we should stay together." I tell them.

"You guys trust Gustus, so I will trust him as well. I should probably go get the van first though." Octavia says.

"That's a good idea, it's getting late. You should be careful out there. We aren't sure when it will fully hit. It could be already hitting on some places. Gustus will keep you safe." I tell her.

"No harm will come to her, from anyone or anything." Gustus says as they walk out the room, the door clicking closed as they go.

"You should both get some sleep, tomorrow will be a busy day." I tell them.

"And just when are you going to sleep, E?" Raven asks me.

I slowly caress Alicia's cheek, before answering, "Seems her fever is a bit better, so after I give her some more meds, I will sleep, but stay close by just in case she needs me."

Octavia's POV

I used my spare key to enter Bellamy's apartment, Gustus right behind me and quickly packed a few things from his and Echos room, as well as a few things elsewhere. Things that I know we won't want to leave behind if we can help it.

I make my way into the kitchen and check the pantry before I ask Gustus, "Since we have the van, we should probably pack as much food as we can. Don't you think?"

"Food shouldn't be an issue. We have plenty stashed with the weapons, but it never hurts to have more." He says. 

I grab a trash bag and start filling it up. There isn't too much, so it doesn't take too long. "So how long have you known Eliza and Raven?" I ask Gustus as we load the van.

Gustus smiles as he answers, "I grew up with their dad. I was there for Eliza's birth. Raven and Eliza were born a few weeks apart, but for years now have shared the same birthday. Raven's dad was in our SAS unit. He didn't make it home from the last mission. Both girls have been inseparable since then. Raven's mom took to drinking and eventually the drink took her. Abby and Jake adopted Raven after that."

Standing outside of the van, I turn to him and ask one more question, "Have they really been training since they were seven."

"They have, since Eliza's first dream. Jake, Abby and I knew that there could be no other way. They are my family and their family is mine. None of you have their training, but you will. We will all keep each other safe. And just so you know, you are part of the family as well and always will be." He says as he hops on his bike, waiting for me to get in the van and start it.

I swallow the lump in my throat and start the van. I never knew my dad and mom died when I was fifteen. It has always just been Bellamy and Alicia until last year when he met Echo. So I have never had much family. It doesn't take long for us to drive up to the hotel. 

After entering Gustus's hotel room, I head straight to bed, however sleep is slow to come, my mind on everything that is going on and will happen. It is late when I remember that I need to call Bellamy. It won't be long before travel by plane is no longer possible. I hope he stays safe.

Before I know it the sun is peeking through the curtains, sighing as I get up, I pick up my phone, knowing this won't be an easy call. Clicking on his name, it starts dialing, "Hey, little sis. Is everything ok, it's a bit early and you haven't called since we left?" He asks.

"Bellamy, something has happened but we are all ok. You have to listen to me and not ask too many questions." I tell him.

"O, what's going on, do we need to head back?" Bellamy says and I can hear the worry in his voice. 

"The dreams are real, bell. My soulmate dreams. Things are starting already. Alicia is sick just when we met her soulmate and Anya's as well. Soon it won't be safe here or pretty much anywhere. We are going to leave today." I tell him.

"Is Alicia ok? You can't leave, not yet. Echo is already packing. We will be on the first flight out." He says.

"Alicia's soulmate, Eliza is kind of like a doctor, she says that she will be ok. She has seen it in her dreams and we are going to Texas. They have a safe place there. Lincoln is there. She described him perfectly." I say.

"I don't know about this, O. We don't know anything about them. How do we know that Lincoln is there and it is a safe place?" He asks.

"We already know them, Bell. Or at least we did in the other life. It's Clarke and Raven. Their uncle is with them. They have been training for this for years. I am leaving with them and so is Anya. We are bringing Alicia with us and picking up Aden and whoever else wants to join us." I tell him.

"Clarke? Ok, so you will be safe. How will we find you guys. Where is this safe place?" He asks.

I look up just as Gustus walks over with his phone, an address on it. I nod my thanks as I type it in. "I just sent you a text. It is the address to where we are heading. Stay safe big brother." I tell him.

"You too, little sis." He says just as I hang up.

After yawning a few times, Gustus starts laughing and says, "I will go get everyone some coffee, before they leave. Eliza probably didn't sleep either." 

"Thanks Gustus, I will head over now." I tell him as I leave the room and knock on the door next to us.

Eliza opens the door and lets me in, Anya and Raven still cuddled up with each other in bed. "How is Alicia?" I ask her softly.

Eliza runs her hand through her hair, sighing, before saying, "She had a restless night. Tossing and turning, not waking up, but mumbling most of the night. Her fever spiked a bit around two, but cool rags got it a bit earlier. I think the fever will break soon." 

"Good, Gustus is bringing coffee. And I called Bellamy. Echo was already packing a bag, when I hung up." I tell her.

She grimaces a bit when I mention Bellamy's name. "He knows the plan, right? He isn't going to try and run things is he, like last time?" She asks me.

"He remembers last time. He isn't like that anymore. He can be protective, but knows his boundaries. He has also decided a few years ago, after the dreams he has had, he doesn't want to be in charge of anything. Said he would follow you, whatever your name was this time." I tell her in order to reassure her.

"That doesn't seem like Bellamy from the past life." She says.

"That would be because, not only does he remember, but this life has been so different. Some things were the same, others were not. He knew dad, I don't remember him. Mom still died when I was fifteen, but we have had a good life. Alicia and Anya have always been there for us. Madison isn't all that bad, just controlling at times. She's a school counselor and teacher at the high school. She took us in, helped Bell with college and me as well. And she hasn't actually had it easy as well, her soulmate dying before Alicia was eight. So um, I know I am rambling, but I guess what I want to say is, we remember enough of that life to be better in this one." I tell her.

She pulls me into a hug and says, "I hope we can all do better this time, especially about keeping our soulmates with us. Which reminds me, there are a few from the past life that were living in a town not far from our place. They will be joining us there, some already have, like Lincoln."

She pulls away, her hugs feeling just as I remembered, and I am about to ask something else when the door opens and the two in the bed spring up quickly. It's like they could smell the food he brought with the coffee. "I brought breakfast as well as coffee. I hope everyone likes bacon, eggs and home fries from the diner up the street." He says while placing the food on the table.

We demolish the food quickly and the others leave, Eliza and I being the only ones left in the room, that is awake of course. She turns to me after checking on Alicia and says, "I know you are dying to say something. Whatever you have to say or ask, go ahead." 

"There is just so much about that past life, but the main thing that I want to say is, I am sorry. I was such a bitch. At first, it was because I couldn't understand your decisions, so many died, but also so many others, all of our people lived. It took a long time to realize that. You were always the best leader, we should have trusted in you back then. We won't make that mistake in this life." I tell her.

Shaking her head she says, "I made many mistakes then as well. We all started off as kids pushed into situations that most adults never came close to being in. Some of them cost lives and I never wanted that. This time will be different for us all."

We talk for a few hours, both of us keeping an eye on Alicia, her talking in her sleep getting more and more frequent, until we hear her calling out, "Clarke, it's ok, you're safe."

I look over at Eliza as she tenderly cleans Alicia's face. "I knew how you felt about her back then and I wish I had trusted her. I wish all of us had. In the bunker, I talked to Indra about it, in the early days. My grief over Lincoln never went away and I know yours didn't with Lexa either. I am sorry, I can be able to say it enough, the way we tried to keep you from her." I tell her.

"It was a different time and place. This one is different, we are all different people. None of us have to apologise for the things that we did in that life." She tells me.

The others start coming in, not sure where the time went, but it is after lunchtime already. Gustus starts handing out food to everyone and as we start eating as Raven turns on the TV, changing the channel to the news. I am assuming that everything is ready to go.

We have barely finished eating when we hear Alicia scream out, "Clarke." As she jerks upright in the bed, Eliza is already helping her, making sure that she doesn't rip out the IV. After a few minutes Alicia calms down some, just in time to see the chaos on the TV.

Eliza starts unhooking everything from Alicia, whispering as she finishes, packing all the equipment as she goes. "It would help her more if she had more time to recover, but we have to leave and it has to be now." Eliza tells us all.

Raven and Anya grab the bags and take them out of the door, returning quickly. They glance at us as Eliza picks up Alicia to carry her out of the room, everyone else following. Eliza has just laid Alicia in the back of a van on a mattress, that Anya and Raven must have put inside, when I see both Anya and Eliza freeze, growls emitting from the backs of their throats.

Alicia is already trying to climb back out, as I hear bones breaking and the growls growing louder. While trying to hold back I see one dirty blonde wolf standing side by side with one golden blonde one, clothes shredded on the ground, and Costia no more than ten feet away.

The dirty blonde wolf jumps several feet in the air biting at Costia's side as the golden wolf clamps onto her neck and shakes violently, black blood spraying across both wolves' coats. It takes everything in me to keep Alicia back, but I know that she sees it all. 

As soon as Costia's neck is completely severed from her body, both wolves step back, still growling. Gustus rushes to them, gently placing his thumb in the middle of the blonde wolves neck, and you can hear bones snapping and breaking, reforming before my eyes as a naked Eliza runs to the van. He moves to the other wolf, repeating the same thing, and Anya runs to the van, Alicia already helping them get dressed.

I can tell by how quiet she is, that Alicia is upset, but for now she is silent. A moment later Eliza steps out and says, "We leave now, before others show up. Gustus, Anya, and Raven take the bikes, we will follow in the van. Stay together, Anya can lead the way to Fresno. Octavia, you're driving the van, Alicia and I have to talk."

Everyone starts moving, as I start the van, the others ahead of me, I hear Eliza and Alicia talking quietly, Eliza holding Alicia as she cries and I know this is going to be a long trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are definately happening, with more on the way. I really enjoyed writing this one. Having never written anything in Omegaverse, I find myself enjoying it. Hope you enjoy the chapter.
> 
> As always, thank you ai Lockie, your help and support means everything.


	4. Chapter 4 "Roadblocks"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza and Alicia talk, we meet some people on the road, it doesn't go well. Madison is not happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I messed up. It seems that there is a whole fight scene missing from the chapter. I have now fixed it and the next chapter should also be up right after. I hope you enjoy both

Chapter 4 "Roadblock"

Alycia's POV

So I woke up my dreams this afternoon. I still don't know how long that I have been out. There were a few dreams from a previous life, or that is what I am thinking it was. Eliza was there and I called her Clarke. It seemed at first we were at war together, but those are just bits and pieces and I am not quite sure what is real.

I almost blush at one of my dreams. She came to my room she was leaving, I so wanted to tell her that I loved her, but I didn't, not even when I could see the love shining from her eyes. I feel like I had loved her for a long time, but something had happened and I don't know what it was. I hurt her, not sure how, but I did.

I thought that even though she cared for me, the pain of the past was too great for her and she would never act on those feelings. I went to shake her hand, just wanting to have some kind of physical contact with her, not knowing if I would ever see her again. It shocked me when she pulled me in for a kiss. I remember the tear flowing down my face, as we continued to kiss. 

We spent time getting to know each other's bodies, I can remember not wanting the feeling to end, just hoping that this wasn't the end of us. She finally gets dressed, we can't put the inevitable off anymore. Clarke still had to leave. With one more kiss to my lips she leaves the room to her own. 

As I am finishing getting dressed and about to put my armour on, I hear the first gunshot. In a panic, I rush to the room across the hall, hearing several more shots ringing through the room on my way there. Having no concern for my own safety, I open the door to Clarke's room. I see the bald man with a tattooed head across the room, just as a sharp pain hits my stomach. I look down at my stomach, seeing the growing blood stain. Turning to Clarke I look in her eyes, both of us knowing that this is the end. At least Clarke is going to be ok.

Eliza starts packing up all the medical equipment, equipment that she used on me. Was I really that sick? Anya and some girl turn on the TV and all I see is chaos. It's a bit scary, they remind me of the other dreams, the dreams that I woke up with. Really sick people attacking people, it looks like every zombie movie. Anya and Octavia told me about their dreams, but I didn't believe them. 

I was fighting them with Eliza and other people. She is always trying to protect me. What is even weirder is I see us both turning into wolves and fighting as well. Surely that isn't going to happen. I have a hard time believing that all the rest is going to come true, but werewolves, that's too much.

I am still watching everything on the TV when Eliza says, "We have to go now."

I haven't said a word since waking up, still just trying to process it all. I feel Eliza taking me in her arms and I curl right into them, pressing my face into her neck. She feels so safe and smells so good, and I feel too weak to complain. She is loading me into the back of Bellamy's van, when I see Costia. She doesn't look the same though, her skin is paler kthan I have ever seen on anyone, black blood dripping from her mouth, teeth snapping as she notices us. 

At the sound of growls coming from Eliza and Anya, I look over their shoulders, as they step back and turn around. I watch as their clothes shred, falling to the ground in pieces, hearing bones crunch as they break and reform into the shape of a wolf. I am trying to get out of the van, when Octavia grabs me by my shoulders, holding me back. 

I am fighting Octavia with all that I am when I see Costia lunge for Anya and Eliza, but they are even faster, as Anya attaches herself to Costia's side and Eliza does the same to her neck. I don't even realize that I am screaming and sobbing, as they clamp on and tear Costia's neck from her shoulders. I calm down a bit as Costia gives up her fight.

With wide eyes, tears flowing down my cheeks I watch as the tall beast of a man presses his thumb in-between their shoulders and they change back into a human, running into the back of the van. The questions start forming in my mind as I help them get dressed in fresh clothes, but still I don't say anything. It all seems a bit unreal. I lay down still crying as Eliza and Anya get out of the van, Eliza issuing orders.

Eliza climbs into the van, coming up to me, placing her hands on my cheeks, "You are ok, you're safe." She says as I curl into her side shaking.

The van starts and I take a deep breath, "What is happening? This all seems so unreal. The things on the TV, werewolves, Costia being a zombie, it all seems like a very badly made horror film." I say, still trying to process it all.

"I wish you hadn't found out about all this, well not like this. Most of it I have been dreaming about since I was six, so I have had time to get used to it. I wanted to have time to explain my dreams to you." Eliza says.

"Start with the wolf. Tell me how one can change into a wolf." I ask her.

"The changing into a wolf is a new thing. I wouldn't even begin to understand it if not for Gustus. He is the man you saw earlier, he is my uncle, but not by blood. Apparently, everyone carries the wolf gene, all but a few are lacking a one key part of the gene, the one that makes you a hybrid. My best guess, after studying with my mom, is that something in the virus adds that part." Eliza says.

Shaking my head, "The virus, how come some are affected differently and others change. I lived and Costia turned into a zombie. Am I going to turn into a wolf and what about the others." I ask her.

"Uncle Gustus says that all of us will eventually turn into a wolf. He says that he can smell the changes within us. I would need to study someone that has had the virus and someone that turned into a zombie, to know for sure. However, if I had to guess, Costia didn't have the wolf gene, not all people do. You survived because of the gene and I kept your temperature down. Meds helped but so did the baths." She tells me.

"Baths, so you gave me baths, so you saw it?" I ask her self consciously.

"If you are referring to your scar from your car accident, when you were twelve, then yes, but it isn't the first time. I saw it in my dreams years ago. I wanted to come here then, but my parents kept saying now isn't the time. A scar couldn't ever change how I feel about you. You are still as beautiful as you have been in every dream." She tells me.

"I guess I should say that I started having dreams. I remember parts of this life and another one. I remember dying and I remember how I felt about you in that life. Though it doesn't change anything. I still don't know you in this life. I know we are supposed to be soulmates, but that does not mean that I will just jump into something with you, not without knowing you." I tell her.

She looks shocked at my words, "I don't expect you to. I never did. I would never push you into anything that you didn't want. Right now, the most important thing is to get somewhere safe. Our home is safe, in Texas, which is one of the many things that came from me having my dreams so early. As for anything else, that will come when and if you are ready, but I refuse to let you die in another life." She tells me.

"So, we are just supposed to come with you, no questions asked and leave everything and everyone else behind." I have to ask her, because I am not leaving Aden behind.

"No, Anya is driving my bike, she is leading us to Fresno. There we will pick up your mom, Travis, and Aden and anyone else that you want to pick up. Then the plan is to go to Texas. We will all be safe there, but if you don't want to go, then we won't go. However, I won't leave you. If you won't go to Texas, then I won't either. I would just die not knowing that you are safe." She says.

I lean in and kiss her cheek, pulling her into a hug, as she pulls me closer, my face in her neck, I smell her. She smells just like she does in my dreams, like sage, honey, and pine. I don't want to pull away, but finally I do, "You smell like home. As long as we have Aden, I will follow you to Texas. Though my mom isn't going to like you." I say while yawning.

"Your mom doesn't have to like me, as long as you and our family are safe then I am happy. Your body needs more rest. You should sleep." She says.

I don't know what comes over me, but I need to stay close to her. I need her next to me. I never liked laying with Costia, she only ever wanted to have sex everytime we did and I didn't want that, but I can see myself wanting that with Eliza and soon. I can feel that she would never take advantage of me, just because we are in the same bed. Looking into her eyes, I say "I will go back to sleep as long as you lay with me."

"I would like nothing more. Even though I saw in my dreams that you would be ok, I was still scared to death that I would lose you from the virus." She says as we lay down, pulling me close and I have never felt safer, than in her arms.

Eliza's POV

I hold Alycia in my arms, as her breathing evens out more and more her face burrows into my neck, right at my pulse point, fingers digging into my leather jacket and I know she is asleep. I should be up front talking to Octavia about plans, but I find myself not wanting to move too far from Alycia. I haven't gotten much sleep the last few days. I could have slept some and let Raven watch over her, but I couldn't keep my eyes off of her.

It's not that I don't trust Raven, because I do, more than anyone else, but I needed to be there. I still do. I don't know if it is because I am finally with her or because of what I have read about wolves. They are super protective about their pack, but even more so about their mates or cubs, especially an Alpha.

I guess though that I have always felt that way about Alycia, no matter what lifetime. I don't know why but in my last life, I knew that my people never trusted her, and I tried to keep anyone from knowing my feelings for her. I remember holding a knife to her throat, but I could never do it. I was angry and hurting, but I could never hurt her.

I can't lose her this time. Part of me died the day she did and I never really recovered. We are about half way there when Octavia slams on the brakes. I barely have time to stop Alycia from hitting the back of the seat, one arm holding her tight, the other slamming against the back of the seat. It still wakes her up, though.

Shaking her head, she looks at me, a question in her eyes. Leaning over I kiss the top of her head, "I am not sure what happened, let's find out." I tell her.

We barely have time to get out of the covers before the back of the van opens, the others standing there looking grim, Octavia coming up behind us. Gustus looks at me and says, "It seems like there is a roadblock ahead. It's nothing official, from what I can tell. They have guns and it looks like they have some people held hostage, that were trying to pass. They are not much more than kids, maybe sixteen."

I really don't want to put the others in danger, but this is our only road leading to Fresno, unless we double back, which would put us hours behind. I also don't like the idea of leaving kids in their hands. We have trained for this but the others have not. I continue to think about it for a moment before I speak, "Gustus, take Raven and Anya, run around them, you will cover from the rear. When you are in place, three clicks on the radio will let us know. We will head straight to them from the front. I will handle it from there. Radio silence and only shoot if you have to." 

They move quickly and I turn to Alicia and Octavia and say, "We do not want a fight here, but we need to take this road. I also don't like the idea of leaving the kids in their hands. If we can I want to save them. Our safety will come first though."

"What do you need us to do?" Octavia says.

I can tell that I have earned her trust. "When Gustus signals, I want you to drive, slowly, up to the roadblock. From there I will step out and talk to them. I will try and get them to let us through, and then see about the kids." I tell her.

Alicia shakes her head, "No, they have guns. We can go back and take the other road. We don't need to put you in danger like that." She says.

"It's not just about us, those kids need help as well. I can help them, but I need you both to stay in the van. See this jacket, it's not just a fashion statement. It is bulletproof. I will be ok, I promise. Now we haven't had time to train either of you, but just in case, here are two pistols." I tell them.

Alycia looks at me as I hand them the guns. "We don't know how to use these." She says.

I lean over and kiss her cheek, "These pistols are easy to use, all you have to do is slide this button over, point and shoot." I say, while showing how to do it.

We don't have any more time as we hear three clicks over the radio. I turn to Octavia and she starts driving up to the roadblock. As she stops the van, I kiss the top of Alycia's head and step out. I now have a clear view of what is going on behind their trucks. In one of them is a cage that they are loading to boys in. I know these boys, Jasper and Monty. 

As I look around, there are others I know Roma and Miles standing off to the side, trying not to draw attention. I don't know how I can hear the two girls in the corner talking to two adults, who may be their parents, about running, just as soon as they can. I can't help but notice them as well, as Tris and Charlotte. I know this won't simply be us leaving and driving away. I have to save these people.

What the hell would they need with them all anyways. Finally someone walks up to me, whom I also know, he looks at me from top to bottom and smiles and now I know why. They are going to take the boys and make them work for them and the girls they are going to make them work in the bedroom. 

Question is, who is in charge, Dax who is already licking his lips, or someone else. There is only one way to find out. "A pretty girl like yourself shouldn't be on her own. You will need protection in the coming days." He says.

I know the disgust is plain as on my face as I say, "Is that why you are stopping people and taking them hostage. You want to protect them?"

He smiles, "They won't make it on their own. I can keep you safe, as well as the two pretty ladies that you left in the van. I can keep all three of you screaming in my bed every night, and still wanting more of me. What's your name sweetheart?" He says.

I have heard quite enough and the thought of what he is suggesting pisses me off as a low growl emits from the back of my throat, as he hits his knees, head turned to the side. "I am afraid that none of that will be happening. In fact, you are going to be letting all these people go, now." I tell him.

He is almost crying now, as he speaks, "I don't have the authority to do that and the boss won't let them go, nor you and your friends."

So he isn't in charge, I think as I bring my knee up into his face. He drops like a sack of potatoes, out cold. Before I know it, there are three guns pointed at me and someone else walks out of the shadows and right up to me. I close my eyes and for a moment. "I see you took out my brother. That isn't exactly an easy task to do." He says, as his eyes roam up and down my body, before landing on my chest with a predatory grin.

"He pissed me off, I have no doubt that you will do the same." I tell him.

He has the audacity to laugh at me, as he speaks again, "I like you, you have sass. My name's Finn and I am in charge here. It seems like I am in need of a new head of security. The job is yours, if you want, if not then there is an empty cage for you to hang out in."

I stand there for a moment, like I am considering his offer, before asking, "I take it that means a place to stay, in your bedroom, at the end of the night?"

His slimy smile grows wider, as he says, "It is the only bed left available and I will make sure you really enjoy it."

Glancing around, I see the others around watching the full exchange, the couple with the two girls grabbing two metal pipes, like they are getting ready for a fight. Monty and Jasper taking two bags out of the back of a truck and hiding underneath it. Two of Finn's guards lowering their weapons, leaving only one gun pointed at me. 

I guess now is as good a time to make my move, I lean into Finn, my face near his ear, my fingers playing with his jacket, "You would like that, unfortunately for you, it will never happen." I whisper to him as I raise my other hand and open it.

One by one guards start dropping, as bullets riddle their bodies, my knee slamming into Finn's groin. "You see here Finn, I don't like you and I sure as hell don't like the operation you have here. I will not be anyone's slave nor will I play in their bedroom and neither will the other people that you have taken hostage." I tell him as all the others walk up to me. 

After everyone makes quick introductions, we find out that Roma, Monty, and Jasper are heading to Texas, not far from where we are going and Tris and Charlotte are heading to Louisiana, with Charlotte's parents. I make the decision for them to join us for our trip. 

Roma jumps into one of the trucks with Monty and Jasper, as the other four join us in the back of the van. I am cleaning Tris's cuts from a beating, as the two shots ring out, Charlotte's parents getting hit right away. Grabbing my pistol, I open the van's side door, as Dak is firing at us. Octavia is trying to drive away, taking my time, I aim carefully, my bullet going straight through his chest.

I close the van door and set my pistol down, making my way over to Charlotte's parents. It takes one glance to know that there is nothing that I can do for them. They both look at each other and nod their heads, Charlotte's dad already opening the van door, as her mom says, "We love you baby girl." Turning to me she says, "Please, take care of our girls." She tells me as she kisses her husband and they both let their bodies fall out of the van. 

I swallow hard as I close the door and continue on to Fresno. I turn to the two girls, both of them crying, there isn't much that I can say to make it all better, nothing ever could. Alycia is trying to calm them, but having little effect. I move over, closer to them. "I can't promise you that everything will be ok, because everything in this world has changed. I can promise that you have a home with us. You are now part of our family and we take care of our own. It won't always be easy, but I will do my best to make sure that we all make it." I tell them.

"You won't just drop us off somewhere?" Charlotte asks.

I pull her in my arms, kissing the top of her head, "I will never abandon you, I promise." I tell her.

It isn't long before we are driving through the residential streets of Fresno and I have to prepare myself. I don't know much about Madison or Travis and I really hope this doesn't go as bad as I fear it will. Alycia glances at me and says, "When we get to the house, I think that Gustus should maybe stay with the girls, Monty and Jasper, at least long enough for us to explain what is going on."

I nod as Octavia pulls into a driveway. An older blonde woman steps out of the house and immediately starts yelling at Anya, "What the hell is going on? Why aren't you both at school. Who are these people and why are you on that death trap?" 

I step out of the van with Octavia and Alycia, Alycia grabbing my arm and pressing herself to my side. The glare Madison sends me is strong enough to make grown men fall to their knees. "Who the hell are you? Where is Costia? I thought you would have come to your senses by now." Madison asks.

"Mom, Costia is dead, she tried to attack me. This is Eliza, she is my soulmate. The girl with Anya is Raven, Eliza's sister and Anya's soulmate." Alycia says to Madison.

"You don't believe in soulmates and we will be discussing Costia, young lady. Your friends can leave now, you're going back to school in the morning." Madison says.

"Um Madison, I should say that they can't go back to school. School is too dangerous and things haven't really started yet. We hit trouble just getting here. I also know that you don't want to hear this, but Alycia is my soulmate. I know that isn't something you want to hear, but it's true. Her safety is the most important thing to me. We will not be taking her back into that danger." I tell her.

"You will take your bikes and leave. I will take care of my family." Madison says.

I am about to say something when I hear growling from the back of the van. We run to the sounds and that's when we see them, eight zombies heading our way. "Anya, get everyone inside the house now, Gustus and I will take care of this." I yell at Anya.

Alicia kisses my cheek as Anya pulls her away, everyone else following them to the door. I hear yelling behind me as I turn to face the zombies. They are about twenty feet away. Gustus moves several feet to my right as we each send two daggers into the skulls of the four closest to us.

Pulling my swords out, I notice that Gustus does the same. I take one step closer and bring my right sword around, cutting clean through the neck of the zombie in front of me. As the body falls to the ground, I bring my left arm up, slicing into the stomach of the one one directly behind it. I bring my right arm up and run it through his neck and out the back of his skull. 

Sliding my swords home at my back I see Gustus struggling with his last zombie. In a flash, I pull out my last dagger and it hits the zombie in the mouth, exiting out the back of it's neck and skittering across the ground.

As I keep a close look out, Gustus retrieves our daggers and we make our way to the front door of the house. I raise my hand to knock and before it touches, the door flies open, Alicia jumping into my arms, hugging me close with her face in my neck. Damn, she smells good.

She pulls me into the house, Gustus locking the door behind us and I see Madison out cold on the floor. "What happened here?" I ask.

"Madison wasn't going to let you or Gustus inside. There was a big argument before Alycia punched her. Good right hook, by the way." Raven says.

Gustus picks Madison up and carries her to the living room, laying her gently on the couch. Looking at the others, "There is a lot we have to discuss. We have a long trip ahead of us, but for tonight get some rest. I know there will be hell to pay when Madison wakes up, but she needs to hear the plan just as well as anyone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was fun to write. A lot of talking and a bit of action. I hope you enjoy. As always, thank you Lockie, for always being there. Ai hod yu in, feva.


	5. Chapter 5 "The journey begins"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chat with Madison happens. It is a bit tense. There is some prepping and planning. There are afterall six people they didn't plan to have with them. There is radio chatter from the government.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the last chapter, for some reason it was missing a whole fight scene towards the end. I have fixed it if you would like to read it.
> 
> I had fun with this chapter. We get to see just a bit of Madison. Her personality is a bit like Abby in the 100. It will get more colorful as we go on.
> 
> Yes, we will hear more about cheeto head. Sorry I can't stand him and I love to write about his incompetence. 
> 
> Thank you Lockie. You keep me going. Ai hod yu in feva en otaim.

Chapter 5 "The journey begins"

Alicia's POV

Travis looks at Anya and me and says, "We are not going to figure this out tonight. Take your friends to the basement, make sure they have food. We will discuss this in the morning."

Eliza comes over and says, "Travis, I know through my dreams that you are a peaceful man. I also know that you saw what happened outside. You will do anything to protect Alicia, Anya and Aden. This is what I want as well. It is not safe here. My family has a safe place in Texas. I am not sure that anywhere else will be safe."

Travis takes a minute before he replies, "I believe you, however it is Madison that will have to be convinced. That will take some time."

I lean into Eliza's side as Raven says, "With all due respect sir, time is not something we have on our side."

Placing a hand on Travis's shoulder, "Dad, I am sorry, but Raven is right. You didn't see Costia and there is so much that you don't know yet. Anya and I will take Aden with us, we want you with us as well. If mom tries to give us a fight, then we will give her one right back. However, I know that she will see reason and follow. She won't like it, but she will." I tell him.

"I know she will. I just don't want it to come to that. She will fight every step of the way and that will make things more difficult." Travis says.

I give his shoulder one more squeeze, and turn to leave, but he stops me and says with a sad smile, "I will pack for a camping trip. For what it is worth, I am glad you found your soulmate. I never did like Costia, she was too controlling and pushy."

Anya, Octavia and Raven head into the kitchen and I turn to the others and say, "Follow me."

Eliza takes my hand and I lead them to the stairs at the end of the hallway and we all walk down to the basement. "Roma, Miles, there is a closet over there. It has Pillows and blankets. There are more than plenty for everyone. Would you start making pallets for everyone?" Eliza says.

Roma glances at the closet and says, "Sure, Eliza. We can do that."

I turn to her and ask, "How did you know?"

Eliza smiles, "I might have dreamed about you having a few sleepovers, even with Aden sometimes." She says while squeezing my hand and I wince.

She brings my hand up to her lips and examines my knuckles, before bringing them up to her lips. "It seems like they are bruised a little bit. I guess I need to teach you how to throw a punch without hurting yourself. I will get some ice and they will be fine."

She walks over to the bar, at the back of the room, grabs a bag, fills it with ice, wraps it in a towel and walks back over to me. "I didn't even know that I hurt my hand. She just made me so damn mad and she wasn't going to let you in." I tell her.

"We would have been fine and Anya or Travis would have let us in." She tells me. 

Roma and Miles finish making the beds for everyone just as the girls come down with trays of sandwiches, chips and sodas. We spend a bit of time eating and then Charlotte and Tris help clean up.

Jasper looks at Eliza and asks, "So what is the plan? How long are we staying here?"

Eliza looks at him and says, "Tonight we will sleep. In the morning, you will stay here. Gustus will be explaining a few things to you. While he does we will be talking to Madison and Travis. I am hoping that we can leave sometime in the next two days. Travel will be better at night."

"Works for me. I keep wanting to call you Clarke though." Jasper says before laying down on a mat next to Monty.

Eliza turns to me and says, "I know you are feeling better and the virus has mostly passed through your system, but you could probably use a bit more sleep."

She leads me over to a pallet, and I look into her eyes and say, "I will lay down, if you lay with me. I don't want to be alone."

Eliza nods, and we lay down together. I lay my head on her chest and she kisses the top of my head as she pulls the covers over me. It isn't long before I drift off to sleep feeling safer than I ever have.

Eliza's POV

I wake up in the middle of the night to see Madison standing over me with her arms folded. "I suggest that you and all your friends pack up and leave. I saw you and your man kill all those people last night. You probably killed Costia. You are lucky that I don't call the police." She glares at me while she speaks so low that I can barely hear her.

I feel Alicia move against me before she says a word. "Mom, they aren't going anywhere yet and when they do we are leaving with them. We are taking Aden with us." She finally says.

I see the anger flare in Madison's eyes as she grabs Alicia's arms and says, "You are not going anywhere, young lady."

A low growl escapes the back of my throat as I slowly stand up, putting myself between Alicia and her mother. Before things can get out of hand, Gustus stands between us and says, "Octavia, could you make some coffee? Then the five of you can go upstairs and talk to Madison."

I blink my eyes, noticing Octavia, Raven and Anya standing behind us and the rest still on their pallets but wide awake. Madison must notice the same thing as she sends me one last glare and stomps up the stairs, with Octavia following.

Gustus turns to us and says, "It won't be easy and she will fight you every step of the way."

He moves over to the others and Alicia and I make our way to the stairs, Raven and Anya following. When we enter the kitchen Travis and Madison are sitting at the table, Aden joining them. We take our seats as Octavia hands everyone a cup of coffee, and Alica some tea, before she sits with us. 

Anya and Raven start breakfast. Alicia takes my hand in hers as I start talking. "I know that you do not like me. You had a perfect vision for your daughter's life and I am not it. You also know that you can't stop anything between us."

Madison moves her gaze down to the table and I continue, "My soulmate dreams came early. I was six years old when I had the first one. I have dreamt of many lifetimes with your daughter. Some we are happy and some we are not."

I take a drink of coffee and before I can say anything more Madison speaks, "Soulmates are not always the right person for someone. If you had your first dream at six, then why did you take so long to find Alicia?"

"I think you should just listen to all Eliza has to say before you ask any questions." Raven glares at Madison.

Raven has always tried to protect me, just as I have always done the same with her. Sighing deeply, I begin again, "I wanted to come, so very badly. As the dreams became more graphic in nature, I knew that I had to find her. However, my parents were concerned. They knew that soulmate dreams always come true."

I take another sip of coffee and continue, "Through drawings that I paint and draw, my parents saw how things would unfold in the world. They started training Raven and I soon after. My father and Gusus, my uncle trained us on everything military and engineering. My mother being one of the top surgeons in Australia at the time, taught us everything medical. We didn't have a normal childhood, but I wouldn't change it for anything. It will all be needed in this new world."

Alicia squeezes my hand and I go on, "You saw what happened last night. Already people are dying and turning into zombies. Those were not people I killed last night. They were already dead. When I met Alicia for the first time last week, she got sick the day I met her. My dreams told me that I would save her and it took a while but with everyone's help I managed to. It didn't stop me from worrying the whole time."

I close my eyes for a moment, because I know that the next part will be hardest for them to understand. Finally, I open my eyes and say, "Right before Alicia woke up there was some fighting between Anya and I. I am still not sure how it works, but Gustus informed us that we were coming into our wolf spirits. We only half believed him, until we were leaving to come here. Costia attacked and we changed into a wolf and that is how Anya and I killed Costia."

Madison gets up, slamming her hand on the table, "That is preposterous. You are crazy and you have brainwashed my daughters into believing this shit."

Anya stands up and gently guides her mother back to the table, making her sit back down. "Mom, it all sounds crazy, but it is all true. I tried to tell you when I was younger, but you wouldn't listen. We are not safe here. Eventually, there will be more zombies than people. We have to leave. I want you to come with us, but if you don't I can live with that. Aden will be coming though. We won't leave him behind."

Madison glares at Anya, before turning to me and saying, "So what is your plan?"

I am slightly stunned. I thought it would be harder than this. "We pack up everything that you will need, especially any food and medical supplies. Tomorrow we will leave and head to Texas. My parents are there as well as many others. It is a safe place, behind a wall. The previous owners even built a bunker that would hold everyone in the town. We didn't find out about the bunker, not until we had been there a while."

Raven and Anya are just finishing breakfast when Octavia falls from her chair. It is Travis that catches her before she hits the floor. Placing my hand on her forehead I can feel the heat almost burning through. I turn to the others and say, "Anya and Raven go get my bag from the van, now. Travis, help me get her to her bedroom. Aden, bring me some ice and towels from downstairs."

Travis carries her to the bedroom and I start taking her pants and shirt off. She has almost sweated through them. By the time that I am finished, Anya and Raven are back and so is Aden. Raven and I start an IV in her arm. I inject the Hydroxychloroquine and the acetaminophen directly into her IV line, as Alicia is already taking the towels and ice from Aden, trying to cool her down.

Madison steps over to us and says, "We should take her to the hospital."

Anya grabs Madison's arm and steers her away from the bed. "Mom, the hospitals will be overrun by now. They are nowhere near safe. Let Eliza work, she saved Alicia. She knows what she is doing." 

"Fine. Aden, come with me. We need to feed our guests." Madison says while leaving the room, taking him with her.

Raven looks at me and asks, "This changes things up just a bit. Do you want to postpone leaving for a few days."

I look at my sister for a moment, the sweat beading up on her forehead and gently guide her to the other bed. "It might. We will see how things are in the morning."

I grab my bag and pull things back out. I turn to Anya, "Go downstairs and fill a cooler full of ice and bring more towels."

Anya looks at me for a moment before glancing at Raven and rushing out of the room. I turn to my sister as she takes my hand and says, "Thank you." 

As I help her out of her clothes, her head hits the pillow and she is out cold. I am just finishing with the medicine when Anya runs back in, a cooler filled with ice and more towels. Without saying anything she starts cooling Raven down. 

I move over to the other side of the room to check on Octavia. Eliza grabs my hand, squeezes and says, "She has cooled off a bit already."

I didn't even notice that Travis left the room, but he comes back into the room, carrying a tray of food. He looks at us and gives Alicia a grim smile as he sets the tray on the dresser. "The three of you should eat."

As we eat the egg biscuits, I turn to Travis and ask him, "Do you still have your truck?"

He looks up, almost like he was expecting that question. "Yes, I still have it. I need to change the battery. I was doing that when you pulled in last night." He says.

It gets me thinking even more. "Good, and other than the battery, it still runs good right?"

"It runs like a dream. Why?" He asks.

"I am not sure when we will be able to leave, but it is more than possible that Raven and I will not be driving our bikes. I however would prefer not to leave them behind. There might be a time where we need them to scout an area before we head through it. They should both fit into the back end. Could you fix the battery and load them for us? We might have to leave in a hurry. Gustus can help you and watch your back at the same time." I tell him.

Travis puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. "I am on your side here, Eliza. I know you will help protect our family. I was thinking the same thing about the bikes myself. I will make sure it gets done." He says as he walks out of the room.

After we finish eating I check on both women, giving them their meds. Thankfully their temp is holding at just above normal. "Anya, you should lay down with Raven, keeping her comfortable and Alicia, you should do the same with Octavia. I will watch over them both, if you fall asleep." I tell them.

Alicia nods and kisses me on the cheek before laying down with Octavia. Anya looks at me and asks, "Are you sure they will be ok?"

I smile at her and say, "They are in my dreams days from now. Octavia will recover first, but Raven will be soon after. A few of the others will get sick as well. It seems betas and omegas get sick and we don't. Some betas won't make it, some will, or at least that is what I see in my dreams." I tell her.

She looks at Raven and then back at me, "I trust you. For what it is worth, I trusted you in the end, in the other life. I was angry, but in truth, it was not at you. My death was at one of your people's hands, not yours." She says while laying down with Raven.

I sit down in the chair between both beds. It is time to think. I really don't want to leave while they are sick. However, I know that something will happen that will force our hands. It always does. I just don't know what it is yet. As they both fall asleep, I check on Octavia and Raven one more time and leave the room.

I head downstairs to the basement to talk to everyone. When I walk onto the room it is Monty that speaks, "When do we leave?"

"I am not sure when, but it will be soon. Raven and Octavia are sick. I need everyone here to pack what they can in blankets, towels and food. Fill any coolers you find with ice. More people get sick. Aden, Charlotte and Tris will gather anything that is medical and camping related. You will put it all at the front door. That is all we can do for the moment." I tell them.

As I walk the stairs I stiffen as Tris says, "Sha, Wanheda."

I continue up the stairs towards the bedroom to watch over Octavia and Raven. Wanheda is a name I never wanted to hear again. Octavia's fever has gone down some already. Maybe it has something to do with her immune system. When Lexa sent the blood sickness to us, she never got sick.

I walk over to Raven, and can tell just by looking at her that her fever has spiked. I dip a rag into the cooler, that has started to melt some and wet it. I start at her face and neck before working my way down her body, trying to cool her off as I go. I dip my rag back into the cooler and repeat the process again, Anya pulling her closer in her sleep.

I kiss my sister on top of the forehead before making my way back to the chair. At least her fever is back down, for now. 

I seem to have dozed off in my chair as I jerk awake. I check on both Octavia and Raven, making sure that I give them both another round of medicine. Anya has woken up this time and is using a rag to cool down Raven's temp as I do the same thing for Octavia. I notice Gustus in the hallway looking concerned. Travis comes in with a plate of sandwiches, handing one to Anya and another to Alicia. I notice fear in his eyes and the paleness of his skin, and the spray of blood on his shirt. "What has happened?" I ask them.

Gustus looks at me and says, "There were two zombies while we were loading the bikes. One got a little close before I could take care of it. I stood guard while the kids loaded Bellamy's van, Madison's van, and the two trucks. Everything should be ready, when we decide to leave."

I look at him in the eyes, and say, "That is not all is it? Something else concerns you."

"I updated your father on our situation and checked the radio for any chatter. You should hear for yourself, after you eat." Gustus says.

I grab a couple of sandwiches off of the plate, handing one to Gustus. I walk over to Alicia, kissing the top of her head before saying, "I will be right back after I listen to the radio a bit. Come get me in the kitchen, if there is a change in temperature."

I walk into the kitchen, Gustus and Travis following. We sit at the table as Gustus pulls the radio out and cuts it on. There is nothing but static for the moment and then the radio comes alive. "Fox team two, status report, over." A voice comes on the line.

"Fox team heading out, we have taken the college and are sending teams of fifty to every town in the state. They should reach as far as Fresno by morning. The rest will depart after Fresno is on lockdown. Stage one should be complete by nightfall tomorrow night, over."

"What about the rest of the state, Fox team, over?"

"If all goes right, we should have everything down to San Diego on lockdown by the end of the weekend. We are terminating all with the virus, those that have turned and those that have been bitten. There are far more than we thought, sir. However, I am confident that we will succeed in the mission, over."

"We better Fox team. God help us all if we don't, over and out." 

I glance at the doorway and see Madison there. I take a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose. Madison looks at Travis a moment and says, "Well that doesn't sound good."

Travis stands up, pacing around the kitchen. Finally he stops, sighs and says, "That is not all. Earlier the incompetent orange cheeto headed asshat was on the radio. It's not good."

I can take a wild guess on what that bastard said. "Let me guess, he is sitting in his bunker saying that all is ok. This is nothing to worry about and if we stay at home it will blow over." I say.

Gustus looks at me, and I can tell that what he has to say will be much worse. "Just get it over with Gustus. Tell me what is happening." I tell him. 

"Earlier, he had a press conference. He pretty much said everything that you just mentioned. After making his statement to the press, he didn't answer any questions. He went straight into the white house. Ten minutes later he was on the radio, talking to General Thelonious Jaha." Gustus says.

Still pinching my nose, a strong migraine forming behind my eyes, I stand and stretch. I turn back to Gustus and ask, "What did the two buffoons discuss?"

He looks at me and I can see the worry in his eyes and says, "The President plans on taking all of California first. Afterwards, he will take the rest of the eastern coast, before moving inward. He says he is trying to stop the virus and its side effects in its tracks."

I stop pacing for a moment, trying to think, what is his end game here. I turn back to Gustus and ask, "Did he say what is to happen if he can't take the country back?"

"He did, and that is the most concerning news of all. The president told Jaha that he has two weeks to get it under control or he will unleash non-nuclear missiles across the country, starting in California." Gustus says.

I have to close my eyes at this news. I take a few seconds to just breathe and think. Finally I look up and say, "I need a map."

I didn't even notice that Aden was in the room when he said, "I got one." 

He rushes out of the room, only to come back less than a minute later, with a map of the US. He hands it to me and I lay it flat on the table. I study the map while I am thinking about what the plan should be and a backup plan if that fails.

"Ok, we will need a map in each vehicle with destinations clearly marked. We stick to the original plan. We head down to San Diego, into El Centro, there we will head into Arizona. We will cross Arizona all the way to Tucson. From there we go to El Paso. We follow the Rio Grande to Arcadia, just about thirty minutes shy of Big bend national park and an hour south of Marfa. We have a bit more than four thousand acres there. One side is protected by a fourteen foot fence, while the other side has the river." I tell them.

Gustus rubs his beard a moment just before speaking, "What is your backup plan? I know you have one. You always do, just like your dad."

I smile and say, "You know me so well, Gustus."

He laughs and says, " I should, I helped raise you. So what is your plan?"

"I hope to not have to use it. I hate the idea of stealing, but if it gets bad enough that we can't follow the original plan, then it won't matter." I tell them.

"We are not thieves." Madison yells.

A deep growl escapes from the back of my throat. I look up and everyone in the room is bowing, with their heads turned to the side, baring their throats. I take a few deep breaths and calm myself before speaking again. "Stealing is the last thing I want to do, but I will do it in order to keep everyone alive."

As everyone stands and calms down a bit, Travis asks, "What might we have to steal?"

"Either way, we might have to raid a pharmacy for more meds. If more of us get sick, I will run out quickly. I only have enough left to treat maybe two more people. Also, if we are blocked from leaving the state, we might have to steal a yacht. If we have to do that, we should be able to sail around to the edge of the Texas coast and finish the last 100 miles or so on foot. However, that is a last resort."

Alicia walks in at this time and asks, "When do we leave?"

"We have six extra people to feed. So if maybe Aden and Travis cook up as much food as they can. Monty and Jasper can pack the rest of the non perishable food up. The food will need to be distributed between all four vehicles. However, we can't leave any later than midnight, not with the army showing up by morning." I tell them.

"I will help Jasper and Monty load the vehicles." Gustus says.

Madison looks up and says, "That gives us a little more than three hours. I will help Travis and Aden, but I have to say that I am not happy about any of this."

I nod at her as Alicia and I leave the room to check on Raven and Octavia. Octavia seems to be doing fine, but Raven's fever has spiked some. I give both of them more meds and help Anya bring down Raven's temp. Just as we finally have it under control Jasper comes in taking the cooler and says, "I am going to fill it up and place it on the van with the other two."

"Thank you Jasper." I tell him as I begin packing up my med bag.

Alicia helps me dress Octavia and then she moves to help Anya with Raven. I carefully unhook the IVs and roll them up in separate towels, handing them to Alica. Gustus walks into the room and says, "It is time."

I nod as Gustus picks up Octavia and Anya does the same with Raven. They follow me out of the room and out of the house. Charlotte, Tris, Roma and Miles join Madison in one van. Travis is driving his truck with Aden and Monty is driving Jaspers truck. I look in the driver's seat and see Jasper. After both girls are laid down on the mattress, I hook Raven and Octavia back up with the IVs. I step out of the van, walk up to Travis's truck and say, "You have the lead here. Take as many back roads as possible. Stop somewhere close to Santa Maria, somewhere out of the way. We will only drive at night and avoid people when we stop."

"Sounds good to me." He says. 

I walk away and hop back into the van. As I close the door, all four vehicles start up, leaving Gustus's bike for last. Anya turns to me and says, "You should both rest a bit. I will wake you when we stop or if there is a change in either of them. You are no good for anyone if you are too tired to do what is needed."

I nod and make a pallet on the other side of the Mattress for Alicia and me. We both lay down and I pull her close, kissing her cheek I say, "I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I will do everything to make sure that we are all safe."

Alicia wraps her arms around me, laying her cheek against my neck. Just as my eyes close she whispers in my ear, "I know you will, of this I have no doubts."


	6. Chapter 6 "Et tu, Brute?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our group makes it ti Santa Maria, but unfortunately two more people get sick on the way. This means a supply run. Who stays behind and who goes. Will they all make it back in one piece? We will have to find out.

Chapter 6 "Et tu, Brute?"

Eliza's POV

We have been driving for about two and a half hours when I decide to take a break. Octavia seems to be doing well. Her fever has been down the last hour or so and there are signs that she will wake up soon. Raven on the other hand, seems to be getting worse. Anya is trying to keep her temperature down and it is holding steady for now; even if it is a bit higher than I would like it to be.

After making sure that they both have more meds, I move up to the front, where Alicia and Jasper are. Kneeling between their seats, I lean over and kiss Alicia on the cheek, before asking, "Where are we?"

Without taking his eyes off of the road, Jasper says, "We just took the exit after Santa Maria and turned onto a dirt road."

Alicia takes my hand, squeezes it and says, "We have been camping all across the state. We usually hit out of the way places, with maybe a small pond or lake. This is one of the places we go to a lot. The lake is about ten more minutes up the road and it is rare that anyone else is there."

"Good, even though I don't want to, we might have to stay a few days." I tell them, glancing back at my sister.

True to what Alicia said, we come to an area with a lake and beyond that is forest. Travis drives the truck through the trees, about five hundred yards from the lake. It has just enough space to park the vehicles and throw up some tents. I notice that is a good thing, after hopping out of the van and Tris runs up to me, eyes wide with worry and says, "Monty and Charlotte are sick."

Alicia gets out of the van at this time and asks, "This is not good. You said something about meds, do we have enough? What if someone else gets sick?"

Pinching my nose, I start to pace as my mind goes through the numbers. Jok, jok, jok. Finally, I stop my pacing and look into her eyes and sighing deeply, before answering her, "Octavia is already getting better, but Raven is not. If I give Octavia one more dose and switch to regular ibuprofen, then I have just enough medicine to last two days for the three of them. That is not nearly enough, especially if someone else gets sick."

I walk over to Tavis and Madison as they are arguing and everyone else follows me. When I get there, "We are not leaving anyone behind, Madison. Like it or not we are stronger together." Travis says, his voice almost on the verge of tears.

"Travis is right. We don't leave anyone behind." I say loud enough for everyone to hear.

I glance around at everyone, making sure they are fully listening to me, "We are not leaving anyone. Jasper and Travis will take the seats out of the van and make some pallets. Miles, Roma and Gustus will set up camp. I will teach Alicia and Anya how to set up an IV, just in case it is needed after I leave tonight." I tell them.

Alicia turns around, stepping closer to me, and says, "You can't leave."

I can see the fear in her eyes as I take her hand, pulling her fingers up to my lips and kissing them. "Gustus and I will go on a supply run, find a pharmacy or a clinic and be back before morning."

Jasper starts playing with his shirt for a minute before saying, "You aren't leaving without me. Monty is my best friend."

Roma walks over to stand next to Jasper and says, "I am coming with you as well. An extra set of eyes can't hurt."

I look at them for a moment, not really wanting to put them in more danger, but I can see that they are not going to budge. "You are right, more people are better. Anya and Alicia will take care of our patients in each van, with Tris's help. Travis will be on watch for the night. He should take up position on top of one of the vans, so he can see in every direction. Aden and Miles can help him. If more than one or two zombies come then you are not to attack but everyone is to lock themselves up in a van and stay quiet."

Madison glares at me before taking a deep breath and saying, "You will need a guide. There is a small clinic with a pharmacy nearby about thirty minutes from here, but you will never find it in the dark. It is out of the way. I will go with you."

I close my eyes, not really liking the idea of her joining, but I can see her logic. "Fine, we all have our jobs. We should take turns napping after we do them. I do not want anyone too tired and fall asleep during the night."

Travis and Jasper start prepping the van as Anya and Alicia follow me to check on Raven and Octavia. Just as we enter that back of the van, Octavia is opening her eyes. "How are you feeling?" I ask her while checking her temperature.

"I feel like a truck ran over me, but I should be fine soon." She says with a slight smile.

"Good, your temperature is gone. You should rest some more to give your body time to recover from the virus." I tell her.

She shakes her head and says, "I can rest later. I heard everything you guys said outside. I will help with Raven and rest at the same time."

She crawls over to Raven's bed, takes a rag, and starts helping Anya cool her down some more. Raven's temperature is down some, but not enough. I give her some more medicine through the IV and turn to Octavia. "The others should have the other van ready for Charlotte and Monty. Try to keep Raven's temperature down while I show Alicia and Anya how to take care of them." I tell her.

She smiles at us and says, "I have got it covered, go help them."

Anya kisses Raven's forehead and says, "Holler at me if her temperature rises or she wakes up."

Octavia puts her hand on Anya's right shoulder and says, "I will take good care of her, sis."

Anya nods at Octavia and we get out of the van. I see everyone working on setting up camp, except for Jasper and Tris. This means that they are taking care of Monty and Charlotte. We make our way into the other van with my med kit. Tris and Monty are trying to keep them cool with wet rags. As I step closer to their beds I notice the difference in how all four smell. Jasper and Charlotte hardly smell like anything. Monty smells sweet, similar to Alicia, but not quite as nice. Tris has a strong odor, more like Anya's.

This leads me to think that Jasper and Charlotte are our beta's. Monty is definitely an omega and Tris is an alpha. I wonder how their different presentations will be affected by the virus. I guess only time will tell.

If I had to guess though, Alpha's won't get sick. Anya and I have been around Alicia, Raven and Octavia and haven't gotten sick yet. Omegas will get sick but more than likely recover. It is Charlotte's and Jasper status that worries me, since we do not know how the virus will act with them. Will it be weaker or stronger in them?

It doesn't take me long to put an IV in for Charlotte, making sure I explain as I go. The medicine I go in a bit more detail, "These are the two medicines that I have been using. There are two methods of use for them. The first is directly into the IV line and the other is injected into a vein. I prefer the IV method, it is slow release, but if you can't keep their temperature down and we run out of ice, then and only then would you use the second method."

I take a breath, as I continue, "I have marked a line on the syringe. Fill it slowly at a slight angle and gently press the plunger down to clear out any air bubbles. Sanitize it after every use, if possible. In my book, there is a chart, always write down the time that you give them their meds and which meds that are used. They should receive them about every four to six hours." 

With Charlotte taken care of, we move over to Monty. I turn to Alicia and hand her the IV kit, "I think you should be fine to set it up. I will be right here." I tell her.

"Anya you can fix the syringe." I say, never taking my eye off of Alicia.

Alicia is a bit clumsy at first, but she manages just fine. She then takes my book and marks down the time for Monty's medicine. I am confident that they will be able to handle things while I am gone.

"Everyone needs to take a break. Eat some lunch, I will check on them afterwards. Then we try to get some sleep." I tell them as I step out of the van, Alicia and Anya following me.

We make our way over to the campfire, where Madison and Aden have lunch ready. It seems we are having chicken and baked potatoes. It won't be long before we are out of the perishable food. When I finish eating I leave to check on Monty and Charlotte one more time, kissing Alicia on the cheek first.

By the time that I am leaving Madison's van, Alicia has a plate made for Octavia and we check on Raven. Anya is already napping beside her, Raven's temperature being down some. If it doesn't rise again, then she will probably wake up by tomorrow sometime. Octavia looks up from her plate and says, "I wish I was going with you, but I am afraid that I will slow you down. I am so weak."

"You are not weak, nor have you ever been, in any lifetime. You are healing from a virus that kills most people. I will take you next time, for there are not many people that I trust more to watch my back than you." I tell her.

"Thank you, Eliza. That is very high praise from the mighty Wanheda." Octavia says. 

"Get some rest my friend. I hope to see you before I leave." I tell her as Alicia and I leave the van.

We head to the closest tent and as I lay down, Alicia joins me, placing her face just over my heart. "I hate that you are going out there." She says quietly.

"I do as well, but it can't be helped. The only other person that knows exactly what we need is sick. Gustus will watch our backs. When I get back I can teach everyone some basic fighting skills. It will be needed." I tell her.

She kisses my chest just over my heart and says, "It still doesn't make me worry any less."

"I have been training my whole life for this. I will always come back for you." I tell her, taking her hand.

She is quiet for a moment, just playing with my fingers, "You can't promise that. We both know that sometimes even all the training in the world, can not save everyone."

I freeze for a moment, knowing that she is talking about when Titus shot her. I kiss the top of her head and say, "This is a different world and time than that one. The dreams will help us. I am not losing you this time." 

"I think I prefer the other world, even with the constant warring." She says.

"Even with the zombies?" I ask her.

"Zombies are a lot like reapers, easy to kill when there are not too many of them. However, I think I would rather face the pauna than my mother." She tells me.

"Your mother isn't all that bad. I think she just wants to protect you." I tell her.

"No you don't understand. My mother is ruthless, manipulative and cunning. She is going to try and find a way to get rid of you." She tells me.

"There is no way she could get rid of me. Like I said, I will always find you." I tell her.

"Just promise me that you will watch her, and be careful. I need your spirit to stay with you. I have just started getting to know you and there is so much more to learn." She says.

"I will be careful. I promise, but if for some reason I don't show back up tomorrow. You all need to wait two days, then leave to the next place marked on the map. That will give the others time to heal. I am not saying that I will not make it. I am saying that anything can happen and I could be delayed. If that happens then I will find a way to meet you at the next stop. Never stay in one place more than three days." I tell her. 

"What about the president and his threat to use missiles on people?" She asks.

"He told the army that they have two weeks before that is going to happen. We should be out of California by then, no matter which path we have to take." I tell her.

"What if he speeds up that timeline?" She asks.

"Gustus and Travis are listening in on the radio and you can do the same. In my med bag, which I am leaving there is an extra radio. I brought it for you to use." I tell her.

I can still hear her mind working a mile a minute as we lay there in silence. "We should get some sleep. Someone once told me that we are not good for our people, if we do not get the rest that we need." I tell her.

I can feel her smiling against my chest as she says, "Whoever said that must be very smart."

"She is the smartest person that I have ever met, in any timeline." I say as I start drifting off to sleep.

Hours later Madison and Jasper are loading his truck with things I picked up at the clinic, while Roma stands guard for them. Gustus and I have just finished filling our bags at the Pharmacy when we hear Roma call out. We run out of the building with our bags and my face drops. 

From a distance, I see them. The herd is maybe a mile deep and half a mile wide. Only Gustus has the strength to carry all four bags to the truck. I hand him my bags and turn around, "Go, get the bags to the car. We will be right behind you." I tell him while taking my swords out, handing one to Roma.

It seems like Roma has a few skills with a sword, as she quickly takes out a zombie behind me; while I deal with the two in front of me. The truck is more than a block away. There is no rhyme or reason to our fighting as we make it within a few hundred yards of it. We are now fighting back to back as we are surrounded. 

I see Gustus rushing back to help us, shifting as he goes. We manage to make it another twenty feet when Roma cries out, her blood gushing out of her neck and onto the ground, as a zombie is tearing into her neck. 

My feet slip out from under me, either from the slick of Roma's blood or her body itself. I scream as I land on the sword that I loaned her, the blade slicing into my leg from the thigh down to just below my knee. 

I watch Gustus tear into the last few zombies near us, before he shifts back. He reaches down and picks me up at the same time as Madison knocks Jasper out. She then pushes him over to the passenger side before hopping in and taking off. "Leave me Gustus, you can still get out of here. Protect Alicia for me." I tell him.

"I will never leave you, yongon." I hear him say as I pass out from blood loss. 

Alicia's POV

It is nearing dawn when Charlotte takes a turn for the worse. Anya is with Raven while Octavia is helping Monty. Tris is helping me with Charlotte. It is all we can do to keep her temperature down. I sent Miles down to the lake with Travis for more water. We are quickly running out of it. Aden is on top of Bellamy's van watching camp.

A little over an hour ago my chest started hurting. I fear that something went wrong during the supply run. I have been trying not to think of it, just focusing on taking care of the sick. I make a vow to myself that we are not losing any of them. 

Miles opens the back of the van, bringing in two buckets of water. He is out of breath as he lays them down and shuts the door. After a few seconds, still slightly out of breath he says, "They are coming. There are so many that I can't see around them."

He takes a deep breath and a drink of water before he continues, "Travis and the others are in the other van. He told me to tell you that everyone should be as quiet as we can and hope that they pass by us."

"Then that is what we should do." I tell them as we all go silent.

I can only hope that the others found a place to stay, while they waited it out. Maybe that is the meaning of my chest pains. I hate to think of anything worse. I focus on helping Charlotte instead of letting my worries get the best of me.

It doesn't take long before we hear them outside of the van. Tris is silently crying. There is the loud shuffling of many feet as they rock the van as they stumble past it. Sometimes there are moans that accompany them. There is the sound of fabric tearing. I am guessing the tents will not be used again. 

I wait an hour after we stop hearing them, before I open the door, a sword in my right hand. Tris, Miles, and Octavia followed me with carrying swords as well. There are maybe a dozen roaming outside, spread out around the vehicles. We quickly put them down before we open the back of Bellamy's van.

It is just past lunchtime and still Eliza is not back. I have to take charge till they do. "Aden, make lunch for everyone, we will need to eat soon. Tris, take some fishing line and string it around the camp. Attach anything that will make a noise. That is our alarm system." I tell them

Taking a deep breath I turn to Travis and say, "Take Miles and do a sweep of the area, from the edge of the camp to the lake. Kill any zombie that you come across. We will not have them surprise us later. Octavia, Anya and I will do the same in the other direction. We will cover about a mile before turning back."

About two hours later we walk back into camp, stepping over our new alarm system, taking a minute to clean up. Aden has set up a bucket of water for us to use for cleaning. There were far too many zombies than I would have liked to see near the camp. We sit down on a log and Aden hands us a plate of beans. It will do for now. 

"Alicia, I checked over what was left of the tents. Some of the poles are still good, so I put them in the back of the truck." Aden tells me.

I think for a moment, before saying, "Good thinking Aden. We can use them to rig some tents if we have a need for them later."

"How long are we staying here?" He asks me.

Pulling him into my arms, I say, "Eliza told me that if they got delayed for us to wait two days and head to the next stop on the map. We should not stay in one place for more than three days. So this is what we are going to do."

I stand back up and go back to Bellamy's van, checking up on Raven. Anya looks at me and says, "Her temperature has been normal for the last few hours, but I just hate to leave her."

"She will get better, Anya and it will be soon. It is Charlotte that I am worried about. I will check on her next, her temperature has been worse than Raven's or Monty's. I hope she makes it." I tell her.

"She will. So far Eliza's treatment seems to be working. It just takes time." She says.

"You and I both know that not everyone is going to make it, no matter how hard we try. We have both seen too much death, for us to be naive." I tell her.

"Eliza will make it. That one is strong. She defeated me and captured me in the previous life." She tells me.

"I would have liked to have seen that. I have only known her about a week this time and already I love her. I knew it when I first saw her. Right now my chest is hurting and my mark is burning slightly." I say.

"This is good news. It means that whatever is delaying her, she is still alive. If she wasn't then your chest and your mark would be burning and hurting so bad that you would be on the ground." She tells me.

I close my eyes trying to erase the pictures in my mind. Pictures of her dying or worse yet, becoming a zombie. "Ok, I have heard enough about this shit. We have jobs to do. We will deal with other issues as they come up."

She nods at me as we hear a truck in the distance. We quickly ran to the sound, my heart in my chest. I stop my mom from driving through our alarm system. I notice the lack of people with her and my heart sinks. Before I can even begin to think about what this means, she is calling out, "Jasper is hurt."

Travis and Miles run to the side of the truck and take Jasper to the van. He is semiconscious, blood dripping down his head. Anya goes to check on him while Tavis and Miles bring the bags out of the back. Mom looks tired as she sits down by the fire. 

"I want to know everything that happened. Now." I tell her.

She glances down at the ground, taking a drink of water, and says, "We were at the clinic, loading the truck. They were at the pharmacy, when the horde came. Gustus ran back to the truck, throwing the bags in the back. Then he shifted to help Roma and Eliza. Before we knew it, they were surrounded and went down. I saw all three go down. I was barely able to get Jasper in the truck after he got hurt. I drove us out of there, in the opposite direction of the horde. It was some time before I could head back this way."

I close my eyes as the van door slams open. Jasper making his way over to us. "That is a lie and you know it." He says.

Raven comes out of the van, Anya supporting most of her weight. "What did you do to my sister." Raven screams at my mom.

"I didn't do anything. She fell against the horde. Jasper doesn't know what he is talking about. He hit his head." Mom says.

"It looks to me like someone hit him with a pistol." Raven growls at mom.

"Enough." I growl and everyone hits the ground, necks turned to the side.

After a few minutes of trying to calm my breath I turn to Jasper and ask, "What happened?"

"The beginning was true. Eliza was coming out of the pharmacy with Gustus. Roma called out a warning and we saw the horde. It seemed like Eliza and Roma had everything handled, as they made it closer and closer to the truck. Then Roma got bit on the neck." He tells us.

Travis hands Jasper a glass of water and after he downs half of it he continues, "There was blood everywhere and when Roma fell, Eliza slipped in her blood. She fell on Roma's sword, slicing her leg. Gustus shifted and took care of the last of the zombies near them. I had just started the truck, when Gustus came our way, carrying Eliza. Then something hit the side of my head." 

I glance at my mom, shaking my head in anger, before asking Jasper, "Do you think they would have made it?"

"I know they would have made it. They were no more than twenty feet away. The horde was more than a hundred feet away." He says.

Raven lunges for mom, but Travis stops her. It however doesn't stop her from yelling, "You bitch. You left them. You left my sister. I will fucking kill you!"

Anya takes Raven in her arms as I turn to my mother, the anguish clear on my face, and say, "Why?"

"I was scared." She says

I don't believe a word out of her mouth, but I know that for now I have to let it go. I turn to Raven and say, "This isn't over but for now you and Anya get Jasper cleaned up and fed."

Before they can leave mom says, "We need to pack up and leave now."

I turn on her and say, "We will do no such thing. We will wait untill tomorrow night to leave, just like Eliza planned."

"I am your mother and you will do as I say." She yells at me.

I take a few steps closer, getting right into her face as I manage grit out, "You may be my mother, but you are not in charge here. I am."

I slam my way past her and walk away. I am almost to the lake when I break, collapsing to the ground and sobbing. A strong pair of arms wrap around me as Octavia says, "Eliza will find her way back to us. It might take some time with her injuries, but she will find us. In any lifetime, she is too stubborn to let anything stand in her way."

After a few minutes, I stand back up, wiping my tears. Straightening my back as I walk back to camp, Octavia following me. I will just have to keep everyone together and on task until Eliza rejoins us. I will not think of any other possibilities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun to write. Many emotions that we will delve into more detail in the next chapter. Each chapter coming will be more exciting than the last one.
> 
> As always thank you, my love. Your support, excitement and love keep me going.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy.
> 
> Kacie


	7. Chapter 7 "A thousand miles."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the aftermath of Madison's betray. Gustus runs into trouble after saving Eliza. Alicia becomes a leader and Eliza trys to make her way back to Alicia.

Chapter 7 "A thousand miles."

Gustus's POV

I have two choices left here. I can either try and outrun the herd, while carrying Eliza. She would probably bleed out on the way, so that option is definitely out. I take option two and duck into the clinic. I gently lay her down, so that I can barricade the doors. When that is finished I pick her up and take her to an examining room.

As I pack her wound, I notice just how deep it is. I know we didn't take all the supplies, so I raid the drawers and find just what I need. Lidocaine and a syringe. I am no doctor, but I have had to patch a few people up in the field. I fill the syringe and start numbing the area around Eliza's wound.

She doesn't wake up once. As I am finishing the her last of forty stitches, she starts seizing. The seizure lasts a few minutes and it is all that I can do, keeping her still. I don't want her to pop her stitches. This tells me only one thing, she needs blood. Abby once said that my blood was special. It is better than a universal donor, but I should only use it if I had to. She said that people would want to study it.

Maybe it is because I am a beta, but who really knows. It only takes me a few minutes to set up for a transfusion. I have only ever done this once, on Raven's dad and he didn't make it. I will give all my blood to make sure Eliza makes it. It takes about ten minutes for her skin to change from deathly white and grey, to having a slightly pinkish color. I take this time to stop the transfusion and cover her up. 

She isn't going to be happy about her clothes being ruined, but at least her jacket is fine. Nothing a little water won't fix. In the breakroom, there is plenty of vending machine food, and two cases of water. After busting open the vending machine, I place it all in a backpack and carry it to the room I have Eliza in. 

When that is finished, I make my way to the locker room. Oh Eliza is going to love this. It seems that we have our choice of scrubs in her size, pink with smiley faces or lime green with duckies on them. I take them to the room and lay them on the counter.

I lean against the wall and start eating a bag of chips, with one of the bottles of water. Tonight I will rest and keep an eye on Eliza. Tomorrow, I will make a plan to catch up with the others. We will be here at least a few days, before she can be moved. It isn't long until I drift off to sleep. 

When I wake up, there has been no change in Eliza. It's only been a few hours, I realize it's more than likely going to be days before she even wakes up. I should have ran her an IV. I take the time and set one up, now. 

After that is finished, I decide to take a look outside. I move the couch from in front of the doors, before opening them, slowly. It appears that there are only a few of the dead walking. It only takes moments to dispatch them and I keep walking down the street, checking for vehicles. Eliza won't be walking fast for quite awhile. 

There is a mini van a few streets over that has plenty of gas, but is wrapped around a pole. It takes another forty-five minute and twelve blocks to find another car. This one is almost half full and has an empty gas can in the trunk. It starts right up and I park it in front of the clinic.

I will fill the tank up tomorrow and try to find Eliza's swords. I should change her bandage and IV bag soon anyways. After that is finished, I go back to the breakroom. There has to be something more nutritional there. Sure enough in the bottom of one of the cabinets are about six cases of cups of ramen. It's not much, but it will do. Cold soup is better than no soup.

After eating my soup, I check on Eliza and notice that she has developed a fever. It's not bad, so I use water to try and cool her down, only for her to start having chills. I add a few more blankets on top of the one she already has on her. Searching the room, I find a locked cabinet. 

I pull the cabinet open after I bust the locks. I don't know what all of the medicine does, but I see a vial of oxacillin and grab it. For a second there I freeze, how much would I give her. I know the medicine is for infection, but not the dose. I look up and there is a chart of meds and their doses, thank the spirits. After I fill a syringe with one gram of the medicine, I inject it straight into Eliza's vein on her right arm. She will need it every six hours or so, which is about how long the IV bag lasts. 

The empty IV bags I started stacking in the corner of the room. I know Eliza likes to keep a chart of all meds that are used, so I make one for the oxacillin. I leave the chart on the table next to her. It has been almost four days. The food won't last forever and we won't be able to catch up with the others, if we don't leave soon. 

I also need to have a few words with Madison. I won't kill her, but she deserves some punishment. Eliza could have died, and she also needs to know that if that happened, so does Alicia. True mates can not survive without the other.

I finish packing a backpack full of the food and water that is left and then one more with bandages and medicines. Eliza and Raven will know what they are. I pick up the one with food and walk out of the room. I will have to change Eliza's bandage before we leave and get her into those scrubs. I grab some more blankets on the way out of the clinic and load it all into the back of the car. I filled the tank up and left what was left in the trunk, yesterday. 

I head back to the minivan and grab Eliza's swords out of the back. I found them kicked half underneath it yesterday and I was carrying too much to bring them back. Our guns were lost in the fighting though along with our radios. I am about to put the swords in the passenger seat when I see them. There are about twelve of them and they are on me before I know it.

One gets my shoulder, tearing a nice chunk out of it. There is only one thing left for me to do. I drop the swords and shift. I have to lead them away from the clinic. They follow as I slowly back away. After a while the burning from the bite subsides and I shift back into my human form.

I find myself outside of an office building, miles away from the clinic. It has an underground parking lot. I pick the lock on the chains, carrying them with me. I don't know what a bite will do to a hybrid, I guess it is time to find out. I chain myself to a pillar inside. Now it is time to wait. I am not sure how long it takes, but I will wait it out a few days. Hopefully Eliza wakes up soon and tries to find Alicia.

Alicia's POV 

The camp is packing up and still there is no sign of Eliza. Monty is almost fully recovered and Charlotte is doing better. I still don't want to leave, but I promised Eliza that I would. I have been thinking about her plan. It was missing one thing. It gave the name of a place, but we have been setting up camp somewhere close by. There is no way of her knowing exactly where we will be and we can't just announce it to anyone that might be on the road. 

"Raven, how many languages do you and Eliza know?" I ask her as she is walking by.

She stops and looks at me for a moment, before saying, "That's a weird question, but ok, let see, there is english, spanish, french and trig. Why do you ask?"

"How do you know trig? I only am just starting to remember some of it." I ask her.

"It is also the language of Gustus's tribe. He thought it would come in handy, and dad agreed." She tells me.

"I have been worried about how Eliza will find us. We only have a general area marked on the map, for each location and we pick some place close by, that is away from everything." I tell her.

"So what does this have to do with languages? How does any of that help?" Raven asks.

"We are taking the bikes, you, me and Anya. We are going to leave messages in trig, where Eliza or Gustus can find us. I am not sure many people will understand it. I don't remember enough to do it myself. This is all you." I tell her.

"That could work, but there would also have to be something bigger to get their attention first. Without it, they will just pass the signs up." Raven says.

"What do you have in mind, Raven?" I ask her.

"So in the previous lifetime, Trikru had certain traps they used to kill their enemies. I say we make one. It will only take me about an hour. It doesn't have to be set, just set out at the edge of the road, close to the exit sign. Behind the exit sign is where we write our message." Raven says.

I smile at her and say, "You are brilliant, Raven."

"Technically, I am a genius." She says while shaking her head.

"Go get started. We leave in two hours." I tell her.

I walk over to Travis and my mother, while they are leaning over a map. They are arguing about where to go next. I do not want to deal with her right now, but I know that I have to, for now. "Tell me Madison, why do you think this place is a better place to camp?" I ask her.

I see the hurt in her eyes as I call her by name and not mom. I am not sure I will ever call her mom again, not after what she did. "It's out of the way, but a few more people use this site. We lost three of our fighters. We will need more." She says.

A low growl forms in the back of my throat, "Whose fault is that?" I ask her.

Travis squeezes my shoulder and I take a deep breath. I know at sometime we are going to have to discuss that, but now is not the time. Turning to Travis, I ask, "Why do you think we should go to this other site?"

"For the opposite reason. It is true that we lost three people, but we can't just trust everyone. It is more likely that if we run into another group here, then there will be less of them. I don't want to have to fight a larger group, if it came to that." Travis says.

Shaking my head, I say, "Travis is right. We can't fight another group. Our people don't have the skills, not yet. We will go to Travis's location."

My mother glares at me for a minute, before saying, "You always listened to me, before they showed up. I should be the one that protects you. To do that we need fighters, not a couple of girls and an old man." 

I grab her by the front of her shirt and with a growl, I say, "Those two girls are your daughter's soulmates. You can't change that. That old man is their uncle. They will find a way to return when they can and I will let them punish you how they see fit. We do not leave our people behind. There has to be a punishment for that. Till they return and decide, you are on kitchen duty."

Her head is bowed to the side, but she manages to still speak, "You're fooling yourself. They are dead."

Anya comes up to us to break the argument, placing a hand on my back she says, "You are wrong, mother. If Eliza died, then so would Alicia. Go help pack, now, before you anger Alicia even more."

Mom slowly backs away, turning on her heel, and muttering as she goes, "Would have been better off with Costia."

I close my eyes as Anya asks, "Raven told me about the signs, so what is the rest of the plan. Where is the next location."

I know she is trying to take my mind of mom and it is appreciated. I point to the map and say, "We are headed here. We will stay for three days only, like Eliza said. Once there, we will set up the alarm system, which should keep the dead out, at the very least. Aden saved the tent poles. I want them sharpened into spears. You, Octavia and Raven will then start training us. For now, I don't want any but the five of us to have guns. They are a last resort, because of the noise."

"Travis and I will start on the spears. Raven is making the trap, it will be just big enough to grab their attention." Anya says. 

"I am still worried about mom starting something else with the others." I tell her.

"That is the least of our worries. We have been talking to the others and let's just say that none of them will follow her. They don't trust her, and Miles wants to kill her, but won't." Anya tells me as they head towards his truck to get the tent poles.

I walk down to the lake as everyone finishes up, just staring off into the distance. After a while, Octavia joins me. "What if she doesn't find us at the next camp?" I ask Octavia.

"I watched her with you, while you were sick. I saw the same determination in her eyes from my dreams. She will be there, and if she doesn't, then she will find you at the next camp. She will not let you leave California without her. Her spirit is just as strong willed in this life as it was in the last. She will find us. She never lets her people down." Octavia tells me.

"I hope so, Octavia, I hope so. I can't lose her. I love her and I didn't get a chance to tell her that in either life." I say with a single tear flowing down my face.

Octavia pulls me into her arms and I lean into her, for just a moment. When I pull away, she says, "Everyone is packed up and Travis helped Anya pull the bikes off of the truck."

I smile and say, "I guess it's time to go then."

Just outside of Santa Barbara we stop and Raven pulls out her trap, the others continuing on. Anya sets the trap in front of the exit sign. "From the drop ship, head towards Snake River." Raven writes on the back of the sign in trig. Eliza should at least know what direction to take to the camp.

It doesn't take long for the three of us to catch up to the rest of the group. We pull in next to Travis's truck, just as Tris and Aden are finishing up the alarm system. Hopping off of the bike, I begin to speak to the others, "We will be spending three days at each camp. Raven has a list of jobs and what time to complete them. When you are not assigned a job to do, you will be training. Everyone should know how to defend themselves against the dead. Raven, Anya, and Octavia will help me with the training. At night there are three shifts, guarding the camp. Madison will not be on any shift guarding the camp. She will instead take care of all the cooking and cleaning."

My mom glares at me and says, "You can't have kids fighting the dead."

"Those kids have the right to defend themselves. The dead will not wait for someone to protect them. You have no say in how this camp is run. If you don't like it, then you can leave. No one will stop you." I calmly tell her. 

She backs up and starts unloading the food and making a fire. I know she is not even close to being done with getting under my skin, but at least for now she is quiet. Looking into the eyes of the others, I can see the respect in them. We decided that after the herd, we won't be sleeping in tents, even if we find more. They will just be for storage purposes. We can make do with the vehicles for now. 

Though we will have to find gas eventually. Our cans are empty and the tanks are only about half full. The bikes have enough to find some more, if it comes down to it. I would hate to have to split up though.

Before I know it, we are packing up to leave again, and still there are no signs of Gustus or Eliza. Though, the others are getting better at training everyday. It helps that we have had a few of the dead show up near camp. I really didn't want Tris, Aden or Charlotte fighting them, but we have no choice. They can't freeze up everytime the dead show up. I shouldn't have worried though; they fought well, with Anya and Raven ready to step in if needed.

Just outside of San Diego, Travis leads the others down a dirt road, while Anya, Raven and I stop, as Anya places the trap, and while I keep watch. This time, again in trig, Raven writes, "From Ton Dc you will follow the path towards Polis." 

When we arrive at camp, everyone is already working. We have to find a way through El Centro. It was never the safest of places, but that is where Eliza wanted the exit point for California. I am wondering if we should go around it. Mom was right about one thing, our people are not strong enough yet to fight. We need more to join us. One good thing though, is that Charlotte is much better and can start training soon.

I have been trying to sleep for the last few hours, but just like every night that Eliza has been gone, sleep eludes me. Last night was the only night I have slept, and that was only because Raven drugged me. I can't really blame her. I slip out of the van, thinking that I will join Octavia and Travis on watch, and that is when I see him. 

A man, maybe fifteen years older than Travis, closes the lid of the tub that holds our food. He tries to stay in the shadows, with a full backpack on this shoulder. I don't think twice as I throw the dagger that I found in Eliza's things. He cries out as the dagger makes its home in his wrist.

"Daddy." I hear a cry from the edge of the camp. 

I call up to the top of the van, "Travis, you and Octavia, go see who else he has with him." 

The others start making their way out of the vehicles after hearing all the noise. "Please, don't hurt my daughter. We can leave the food and go."

I shake my head and say, "We can't do that. You came into our camp in the dead of night and stole from us. We are going to need to ask a few questions."

"I will answer anything you want, if you let us go." He says, as his pupils flash. 

I know then that he won't tell us the truth and I am not torturing him for information. Something tells me torture wouldn't work anyways. Travis and Octavia walk back into camp. They bring two others with them, their guns pressed into their backs. The girl is only a few years older than me and the man is about the same age as Travis.

Turning to Travis I say, "Tie the two men to a tree, make it tight and watch them."

"What are you going to do to my daughter?" asks the man that I hurt.

"Nothing, if she tells me what I want to know." I tell him as I walk away, Anya and Octavia following me.

We walk about two hundred yards, before I stop and Raven catches up to us. We are out of sight and hearing distance of the rest of the camp. Octavia has our newcomer sit on a log and the four of us sit across from her. "What do you want to know?" She asks us.

"Everything." I tell her.

"And if I don't tell you? What then?" She asks.

"Nothing. We keep you tied up till we decide to leave. Though you will at least be fed during this time." I tell her.

She looks me in the eyes and says, "I am not sure that I believe you, but it's not like I have anything to lose."

"Let's start with your names." I ask her.

"I am Ophelia, my dad's name is Daniel and the man with us says his name is Strand. We have not known him long. He tried to help my mother when she broke her leg last week. The military took my mother and they killed her." She tells me.

"So when was the last time you ate? Where are you headed?" I ask her.

"It's been about three days since we escaped the military and we haven't eaten since then. My dad and Strand heard them talking about presidential orders to bomb California. We were headed to San Clemente. Strand has a yacht there. Only our car broke down." She tells us.

We spend hours talking, learning everything about Ophelia and Daniel. Apparently Daniel was an enforcer in the Mexican Cartel. He was forced as a young boy to join them and worked his way up the ladder. When his wife became pregnant with Ophelia, he escaped into the U.S. 

He became a barber. Strand entered his shop in order to escape the chaos outside. Eventually, they had no choice but to leave, following Strand to his car. When they made it there, a mob tried to steal the car. Ophelia's mom was trampled, causing her leg to break.

When mom finally leaves the van and starts cooking. We walk back into camp. Travis is still standing guard when we walk back. Octavia cuts both men down from the tree and I say, "Ophelia told us everything that we need to know. Sit down and eat. Raven will take care of your injury."

"What happens after that?" Daniel asks me.

"Ophelia tells me you were in the Mexican Cartel." I say.

"I was for a while, before the El Salvadoran resistance took me. What does that have to do with anything?" He asks me.

"You will stay with us for the next few days, helping us train. You will all be well fed. When it is time to leave you will join us on a supply run, for more gas. In exchange, we will drop you off at Strand's yacht." I tell him.

"That is an offer we can not refuse." Daniel says.

A few days later, I am walking back into camp after a walk with Aden. Everything should be just about ready to leave. Instead I hear yelling from the other side of camp. "I don't want to hear anything else that comes out of your mouth. It is because of you that a great man is no longer with us." 

Wait, I know that voice. My legs pick up speed and I see her, just as she punches my mother. Travis pulls my mother away about the time that I get there. Eliza has to practically catch me as I fling myself into her arms. She stumbles back a step, and whimpers. I try to pull back to see if she is hurt, but she doesn't let me. She leans in, pressing her forehead to mine and says, "I told you, I will ALWAYS find you."

I glance down at her lips, just once, but that is all it takes. Before I know it, my lips are on hers and my whole body is on fire. When the need for air becomes a necessity, I pull back. Taking a deep breath I look up into her eyes. They are glowing. She is pressed up against me and for the first time, I feel how big she is. Something deep inside of me breaks free, and I say, "Claim me, my alpha, I am yours."

Eliza's POV

I open my eyes to a brightly lit room. I am alone. I am not sure how long I have been alone. I am hooked up to an almost empty IV bag. Looking around the room, I see empty IV bags in the corner. I do a quick count of them. There are fifteen. That means I have been out at least four days. 

Alicia will be moving to the heading to somewhere near San Diego and soon. I have to find her before El Centro. I had plans to skirt around that area. It is not the safest of places to be and there are too many people with us that have little to no training. Alicia never knew about that though. I have to find her before she leaves. I never expected to be gone this long.

I am also wondering where Gustus is. Knowing him, he is probably out looking for supplies and a vehicle. I can't just lay here though. I throw the covers off of me and see the bandage on my leg. It is then that I remember the betrayal, Madison driving off. We are inside of the clinic. 

I can't think about that though, not at this time. I have to find Alicia. I won't have her think that I am gone. Gently, I remove the IV from my arm and swing my legs over the side of the exam table that I am on. Mentally, I prepare myself for the pain before I place my feet on the floor, using the table to support a good deal of my weight.

On the counter, on the other side of the room are some folded up clothes. Using the IV stand, I make my way over to the clothes. Ugh, they are way too cheerful for me, but it doesn't look like there are any other options. I grab the pink pair of scrubs as I sit down in the chair to put them on, each movement sends sharp pains through my leg. Finally, after more than ten minutes of struggling, I have them on.

Taking a deep breath, I use the counter to help me stand. Leaning heavily on the IV stand, grabbing a dagger, I walk to the front of the clinic. Opening the doors, I see a car parked, no more than a few feet away, no one in sight, alive or dead.

Leaving the IV stand, I limp the few steps to the car. On the lid of the trunk are a set of car keys. I am about to open the trunk, when on the ground, I see the blood, just on the other side of the car. Regardless of the pain, I push myself to walk in that direction. The blood on the ground is no more than a few hours old, but there is a lot of it. I know it belongs to Gustus when just a few more feet, half hidden under the dead are my swords and a cane. 

I grab my swords and toss them in the car, before picking up the cane. In front of the car, there are Gustus's shredded clothes. He must have shifted. Walking back towards the trunk, I glance at the gas gauge. The tank is full and in the car seats are supplies. I open the trunk and see the gas can, shaking it, I notice it is about half full. 

We should be able to go to San Diego or at least very close. Shutting the trunk, I make my way back inside the clinic. I will wait a bit before leaving. I am tired and maybe Gustus will show back up. I pack everything that might be needed, when I do leave. Under the scrubs, Gustus left out is my leather jacket. I am glad it survived. I leave out just enough bandages to change these when I wake up. I set two cups of soup out and a bag of chips. 

I eat the chips, while drinking a bottle of water. After taking my clothes off, I lay down on the floor, blankets over me. Gustus said something about shifting to heal faster. So far I have only ever shifted when Alicia was in danger. As I think about my wolf, I can hear my bones breaking and reforming. This time, the pain is excruciating at first, but quickly fades to a dull ache, as I drift off to sleep.

When I wake up, I see the clock on the wall. It has been over eleven hours. Shifting back to my human self, I notice that my wounds are much better. It's like they have been healing for several weeks. First things first, I re-bandage my leg, and put the scrubs back on, this time my jacket goes over them. I pour some water over my two cups of soup and pack everything else up. 

The soup is disgusting, but I still eat it all. I will need the strength to drive. I am still not sure what happened to Gustus, but all things indicate that he is gone and I can't wait any longer. I slid my swords into the back of the two sleeves I made in the backpack last night. The dagger goes in the front pocket of these ridiculous pink scrubs. 

Grabbing the backpack in one hand and the cane in the other, I walk to the car. Leaning the cane against the door of the car, I pull the keys out and open the door. Tossing both bags in the passenger seat, I am about to climb in when hands start grabbing onto the top of my right boot. Taking the cane, I slam the bottom of it through the skull of a little girl, no older than ten.

Tossing the cane on the floorboard, I start the car, while thinking of Charlotte. After driving a few hours, I stop when I notice a Trikru trap next to the exit sign for Santa Barbara. The trap has caught two of the dead and I could move on but I decide to check it out a bit. 

After putting them down, I walk around the sign. It seems Raven, or someone left me a message in trig. It takes me a moment to fully understand it, but then I remember the river where the snake attacked Octavia. I smile at the genius of the message. At least I know what to watch out for. 

I get the can of gas from the trunk and fill the tank, tossing it on the back floorboard before I get back on the road. Ok this car drinks gas, I am not sure how close to San Diego it will get me. Almost two hours into the drive, the car starts sputtering. I pull it to the side of the road. I have to be close, but the exhaustion from driving, combined with the ache in my leg, forces me to think about my options.

I look at the clock, on the dash, hoping the time is correct. I have maybe around twelve hours before they leave camp again. I want nothing more than to get out of this car and start walking there, towards my heart. I know though, that if I ran into the dead, I would never make it. Moving to the back seat, I strip my clothes and shift, hoping the rest in my wolf form will heal me enough to walk the last five to ten miles.

After resting for a bit, I shift back and put my clothes on. Turning the car back on, I realize that I slept for almost six hours. I start loading the bags, placing a couple of bottles of water and bags of chips in my pockets, and start walking. I am not having to lean on the cane quite as much, at least for the first few miles. I munch on my chips and drink my water on the way. 

I start sweating before I finally see the trap. Luckily, I haven't run into anyone, dead or alive. That doesn't last long, but at least there aren't too many that I have to dispatch on this lonely dirt road, because I am not much faster than the dead right now. An ache begins to settle in my leg, as I see the camp in the distance. I must have walked about five miles total, but I would walk a thousand miles, if I had to, just to see her.

I can see that I made it just in time, as the vehicles are loaded. It is just my luck that I ran into Madison first. A loud growl starts from my chest and escapes my mouth, as I grab her shirt, fisting it, "A great man is gone, because of you."

The others in the camp freeze when they see me. The only person that I don't see is Alicia and my eyes cloud over as she goes to speak, "I am so."

My fist cuts her off from saying anything else. "You don't have the right to speak, when he isn't here to do the same." I yell in her face before letting her go.

Raven smiles at me, just before a body slams into me. I almost lose my footing, a whimper escaping my lips. As Alicia tries to pull away, I tighten my hold on her. I don't have time to react, as her lips are on mine, stealing all air from my lungs. When my lungs can take no more, I pull back just a little bit. Alicia's eyes are glowing. She is sweating, as I feel myself start to grow between my legs. Alicia looks into my eyes and says, "Claim me, my alpha. I am yours."

Oh shit, Gustus warned me and I forgot the part about true mates, when I was explaining things to Alicia. At this moment, I could care less. I have to have her, especially when she is giving herself to me. I nuzzle my face into her neck, lightly nipping and say, "Mine. My omega. Mine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man this chapter was fun, though I think the next one will be even better. Thank you all for reading and thank you ai tombon, for always being here for me. As always, I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Kacie

**Author's Note:**

> So this one is going to be so much fun. Another story that won't leave my dreams. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy.


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